OPL-II to begin from May 1

Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) is all set to hold the second edition of Odisha Premier League (OPL) T-20 matches from May 1 after the competition failed to take off last year.
OCA secretary Asirbad Behera and its president Ranjib Biswal informed that in order to bring out talents of state players and make them financially gainful, OCA would spend around Rs two crore to stage the popular league, which had a resounding beginning two years ago.
After the first edition of the League in 2011, the franchisees did not turn up to own the teams in 2012 as some of the franchise owners were targeted by the state government and were unnecessarily troubled in the name of income tax raids and vigilance raids.

This year OCA however, devised its own plan and strategy to hold the OPL and has made a list of some 176 players putting them in five grades and fixing their match allowances according to the gradation of players.
A total of eight teams have been short listed and each team shall have four players each from Grade A, B and C and five players each from Grade D and E. The playing eleven of each team will consists of three players each from Grade A and B, two players from Grade C and D and one player from Grade E.

The teams have been christened as Barabati, Mahanadi, Dhauli, Rushikulya, Baitarani, Konark, Subarnarekha and Chilika. Each team would be captained by a Grade A player and the teams have been divided in two groups and will play the league matches at two venues at Barabati stadium in Cuttack and VSS stadium at Sambalpur.
While the inaugural ceremony will be held at Barabati stadium under floodlights, the Cuttack venue will also host the semifinal matches, third place match and the all important final apart from holding 12 league matches.
While the man of matches in all the 28 matches shall pocket Rs 5000, the man of the tournament will be richer by Rs 25,000. Similarly the winner team will get a prize money of Rs 3 lakh and the runner-up team will be satisfied with a prize money of Rs two lakh. The third placed team shall also be richer by Rs one lakh.