Karnataka Premier League to stay in Mysore and Hubli for 2016 season

The fifth edition of the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) will be played in Mysuru and Hubli between September 16 and October 1 2016, Brijesh Patel, Karnataka State Cricket Association Secretary, announced at the tournament's launch ceremony on Friday (July 29) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.


KPL, a vision of the Late President of KSCA Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, is a franchise-based T20 tournament that was first played in 2009. It features the cream and the upcoming talents of Karnataka cricket. The 2016 edition of the tournament will see the participation of the same eight teams - Bijapur Bulls, Belgavi Panthers, Bellary Tuskers, Hubli Tigers, Mangalore United, Mysuru Warriors, Namma Shivamogga and Rock Stars.

In its short history, KPL has already managed to help unearth and develop promising cricketers from the mofussil areas of the state. Owing to Karnataka's strong presence in India's domestic circuit, the tournament has also seen a rise in IPL's talent scouts flocking to KPL venues in search of young, unheralded players.

The likes of KC Cariappa, Jagdeesha Suchith and Shivil Kaushik have gone from anonymity to earn in bumper IPL contracts thanks to the KPL. The success of the tournament has spawned similar leagues in Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

The 2016 edition of the tournament will be preceded by a player auction, scheduled for August 10. Each franchise will be permitted to retain up to a maximum of four players. In a notable departure to the existing norms and with an eye on increasing the league's competitiveness, the celebrity Rock Stars team led by Sandalwood actor Sudeep, will also participate in the player auction.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Brijesh Patel said, "We started KPL to encourage cricketers in rural and Mofussil areas. We wanted to give them the IPL experience - cricket with white ball, coloured clothing and the pressure of the franchises. Players who have performed well have gone on to play in the IPL.

"We started only in 2009 but have grown very fast. All IPL franchises have been keeping an eye on the talents here. This, in turn, has impacted positively on the fortunes of players and the state."

The tournament will be played in two stages. The first phase will be held at the SDNR Wadiyar Stadium in Mysuru from September 16 to 22. The KSCA Stadium in Hubli will host the second phase, starting September 24 and the semifinals and final. The previous editions of the KPL were won by Provident Bangalore (now defunct, 2009), Mangalore United (2010), Mysuru Warriors (2014) and Bijapur Bulls (2015).