Cuttack, March 3: Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) officials today announced new names for the eight teams slated to take part in the second edition of the Odisha Premier League starting April 1.
A few other changes were also discussed at the Odisha Premier League (OPL) governing body meeting this afternoon. Besides making elaborate plans for a grand inaugural ceremony at Barabati Stadium, the association has earmarked a budget of Rs 2 crore for the 12-day cricketing extravaganza. But the surprise of the day was the naming of the teams.
They will no longer be called Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, North, East, West and South. Now they are named after locations of historic and tourist importance in the state such as Barabati, Dhauli, Konark, Chilika, Mahanadi, Baitarani, Subarnarekha and Rushikulya.
The OCA has also created an extra pool to include players from catchment areas (local cricketers), who have been performing well in the past three years at district level tournaments. Officials said another 24 players from a new category ‘E’ have been added to the existing pool of 136 players earlier placed in categories A, B, C and D.
A total of 160 players (32 each in categories A, B, C, 40 in D and 24 in E) will be picked by the eight teams through a lottery system.
“We want to give an opportunity to more local cricketers and have decided to create an extra pool of 24 players based on past performances,” said OCA secretary Ashirbad Behera. Players in grade A will be entitled Rs 50,000 while grade B players will receive Rs 40,000. Grade C and D players will get 30,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively. Category E players will receive Rs 10,000.
OPL, which was launched in 2011 on the lines of the popular Indian Premier League, had generated massive response from cricket fans across the state. However, the Twenty20 tournament could not be held last year after it came under the scanner of the vigilance department following allegations of black money having been invested. The franchise owners, too, did not show enthusiasm to take part in the event fearing “harassment” by vigilance sleuths.
OCA, thus, decided to conduct the OPL on its own and decided to raise the cash award by Rs 1 lakh each for the winner and runners-up teams. While the champion side will now walk away with Rs 3 lakh, the runners-up will bag Rs 2 lakh.
