RCA to conduct cricket premier league in August

Jaipur: The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) is gearing up to conduct the Rajasthan Premier League (RPL) in August. The major decision to hold RPL was finalised in the RCA executive committee meeting, chaired by its president Vaibhav Gehlot, held here on Tuesday.RCA treasurer Rampal Sharma has been appointed as the chairman of the RPL, while an organising committee will be set up in a couple of days. Once the formation of the RPL organizing committee, RCA will speed up the process to conduct the RPL in a grand manner.According to sources, six teams will feature in the inaugural edition of the RPL which will be held next month. The BCCI is encouraging the respective states to conduct their own cricket premier leagues before September 10 and RCA is taking the advantage of that window.The RCA will soon float the advertisement to finalise the best event management company, which will execute the ambitious RPL. Those event management companies who have an experience of handling the big-ticket cricket league will be given contracts to conduct the RPL.Only the Rajasthan players can compete in the RPL. Indian team player Deepak Hooda, who represented Rajasthan last year, is also likely to play in the RPL.The RCA will hold the RPL on the lines of the hugely popular IPL. There will be six franchise teams competing against each other under floodlights. The Twenty20 cricket tournament matches are likely to be held in Jaipur and Jodhpur.International stars like Deepak Chahar, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Mahipal Lomror, Manav Suthar and Aniket Choudhary are set to lead the franchise teams in the RPL, which is likely to be held from August 12 to September 3.Sources added that there will be two auctions, one for the teams and one for the players. “It will be a huge platform for all the Rajasthan players to showcase their talent as the matches will be telecast live on the leading TV sports channels. Impressive performances in the RPL will help state players to stake their claims for the Rajasthan Ranji team as well as next year’s IPL,” said an RCA official.The RCA is planning a series of meetings this week to finalise dates, venues and other necessary formalities of the RPL.
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