Andhra Premier League (APL) to start on July 6 with 6 teams

The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) has launched the Andhra Premier League (APL) Twenty20 tournament with six teams.

Andhra is the latest state to join the T20 franchise bandwagon in India. APL, like other state leagues, aims to provide a platform for youngsters to showcase their talent in the shortest version of the game.

Also read: IPL 2022: Full list of award winners, prize money details and key stats

The franchise-based APL will be played in Visakhapatnam from July 6 to 17, the organisers said. The teams’ logos were unveiled on Tuesday (June 21) in Visakhapatnam.

The six teams in APL are – Uttarandhra Lions, Rayalaseema Kings, Godavari Titans, Coastal Riders, Bezawada Tigers and Vizag Warriors.

Ahead of the tournament, a players’ auction, similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be held on June 24. According to ACA, 368 players are set to go under the hammer. There will be 12 ‘icon’ players, with each team have two of them.

The base price for icon players is ₹2 lakh. The total purse for each team is ₹30 lakh. The base price for Category A is ₹1.5 lakh for 48 players, Category B is ₹1 lakh for 83 players and Category C is ₹50,000.

All the APL matches will be telecast live on Star Sports Telugu. The matches will start at 1 pm and 6:30 pm.

After the league phase, the top teams will compete in Qualifiers and Eliminator, like in the IPL.

“We are leaving no stone unturned, and the players will be hosted in two-star hotels and ACA for the first season will be bearing the cost of accommodation, food and transport. We are also bearing the player kit to the tune of about ₹30 lakh,” ACA treasurer Gopinath Reddy said.

In May, the ACA announced that it had got permission from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to conduct APL.

Earlier this month, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had unveiled the logo of APL.