Kerala Cricket League 2024: THIS Former RCB Teammate Of Virat Kohli Lights Up Opening Match, Will Sanju Samson Play In Tournament?
Yet another T20 franchise league got underway in India – this time the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) 2024 – with Alleppey Ripples taking on Thrissur Titans in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday (September 2). The star of the opening fixture was an ex-teammate of Virat Kohli in the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) – Mohammed Azharuddeen.
The 30-year-old from Thalangara in Kerala smashed 92 off 47 balls with 9 sixes and 3 fours while opening the batting for the Ripples as they chased down Titans target of 162 with 9 balls to spare and five wickets in hand. Azharuddeen just missed out on scoring KCL 2024’s first-ever century but Vinoop Manoharan with 30 and Akshay TK’s 18 off 17 balls completed the formalities.
WATCH Mohammed Azharuddeen’s 92 in the Kerala Cricket League opener HERE…
– Mohammed Azharuddeen!#KCL2024 #കേരളംകളിതുടങ്ങി #KeralaCricketLeague pic.twitter.com/QFQQv09n2u
— Kerala Cricket League (@KCL_t20) September 2, 2024
Azharuddeen had shot into the limelight in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020-21 after smashing 137 no out off 54 balls against Mumbai. He managed just 143 runs at an average of 23.83 in 2022 and then got dropped midway through the SMAT 2023 season after scoring 22 runs in the three games he played. He was also released by RCB after IPL 2021 season, where he did not make a single appearance for Kohli’s side.
Azharuddeen-led Alleppey side were in total control on the game since Fazil Fanoos struck on the very first ball of the tournament. Anand Joseph (3/32) and Akshay Chandran (1/18) were the pick of the bowlers for Alleppey. Akshay Manohar (57 off 44) showed some fight for the Titans, smashing five sixes in his blazing fifty.
Meanwhile, the inaugural edition of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) will started off on September 2 and will continue till September 18. All the matches of the tournament will be hosted at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
The six teams which will take part in the Kerala Cricket League are – Alleppey Ripples, Thrissur Titans, Trivandrum Royals, Kochi Blue Tigers, Calicut Globstars and Kollam Sailors.
Rajasthan Royals and Kerala skipper Sanju Samson will not be taking part in the tournament featuring the likes of Sachin Baby, Rohan Kunnummal, Basil Thampi, Vishnu Vinod and Abdul Basith.
Samson has been named as the tournament icon for the inaugural season, while Malayalam movie star Mohanlal has been roped in as the Brand Ambassador. The six teams will play two matches against each opponent in the group stages. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals. The 1st team will play the 4th placed team and the 2nd-placed team will lock horns against the 3rd-placed team in the semis.