On Sunday, June 4, the Pune franchise of the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) announced the appointment of Ruturaj Gaikwad as their captain for the 2023 edition of the tournament. This decision came after the franchise won the bid for Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is also their icon player.
The Pune franchise, backed by the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), secured a remarkable amount of Rs 14.80 crore during the franchise auction, contributing to the overall staggering sum of Rs 57.80 crore received by the MPL for all six franchises.
The upcoming tournament, featuring six teams, is scheduled to commence on June 15. All the matches will be held at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Ground, situated on the outskirts of Pune.
MPL Franchise Auction Shatters Predictions
MCA president Rohit Pawar disclosed that the franchise auction attracted bids from over 20 entities.
He further revealed that the management initially anticipated earning Rs 18 crore from the sale of the six teams but surpassed this expectation by more than threefold, ultimately achieving a significantly higher valuation.
“We had kept a base price of Rs 1 crore per year for three years for the six teams expecting a minimum value of Rs 18 crore for the MPL,” Rohit Pawar said. “But we in turn received a record franchise fee of whopping Rs 57.80 crore for six teams for three years after the teams were auctioned today. We followed a completely transparent process to buy the ownership through an open bid system.”
Maharashtra Premier League: Format, Team and Live Streaming
The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) recently announced that the upcoming Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) will adopt the successful module of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Notably, the tournament matches will be broadcasted live on DD Sports and various online platforms, ensuring widespread coverage and accessibility for fans.
During the franchise auction, Pune-based Pravin Masalewale emerged as the successful bidder for the Pune franchise.
As part of their strategic team-building, they secured the services of Ruturaj Gaikwad as their icon player. The Kolhapur franchise, acquired by Punit Balan Group for a sum of Rs 11 crore, enlisted the expertise of Kedar Jadhav, an experienced batting all-rounder.
In addition to Pune and Kolhapur, the tournament will feature four more franchises representing the cities of Nashik, Sambhajinagar, Ratnagiri, and Solapur. These six teams will compete in the first three editions of the Maharashtra Premier League, adding further excitement and competitiveness to the event.
