MCA all set to roll out its IPL-style T20 tourney in Jan

All Mumbai Premier League matches will be played at MCA's Bandra Kurla Complex ground

The much-awaited Mumbai Premier League (MPL) will finally see the light of day this season. The planning for the T20 tournament is in full swing with the blueprint almost ready to be rolled out by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).


Rohit Sharma (right) and Ajinkya Rahane are likely to be iconic players in the Mumbai Premier League 

According to an MCA source, officials have identified a 10-day window for the tournament which will be played in January 2016. It will be a six-team affair.

Just like the Indian Premier League, players and the teams will be auctioned. "Each team will have an iconic Mumbai player like Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane or Shreyas Iyer in their ranks. Former Mumbai stalwarts will be roped in as mentors of the teams," the source informed mid-day yesterday.

"Only two players from the U-19 category will be allowed to play in the league. No junior players will be exposed to T20 cricket right now," the source added.

The teams will be named after iconic places in Mumbai or after those synonymous with cricket. "There could be a team named after Shivaji Park, Bandra, South Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane etc," the source said.

Each team will play five league games and the best four will progress to the semi-final and then the final.

The MCA is planning to play all MPL matches at their Bandra Kurla Complex ground as the iconic Wankhede Stadium would be occupied with domestic fixtures. "That's the reason MCA is in the process of putting up floodlights at the BKC ground," said an official.

The matches will be telecasted live and the MCA will soon initiate discussions with the broadcasters.

Once the Managing Committee discusses the plan in details in the next meeting, the MCA will waste no time in putting the blueprint into action.

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