Bhubaneswar: The Legends League Cricket (LLC) has returned to the stage and will begin on September 20 with a thrilling game between Irfan Pathan’s Konark Suryas Odisha and Harbhajan Singh’s Manipal Tigers.
For the first time, a team from Odisha will also be part of the league beginning on 20th September. The team ‘Konark Suryas’ was recently launched in a special programme in Bhubaneswar.
“I have a big responsibility for this beautiful state to represent Konark Suryas in the Leagues Cricket,” said Pathan.
Other players in the team are Binaya Kumar, Rajesh Bisoyi and Sahabaz Nadeem. Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) secretary Sanjay Behera attended the programme as the chief guest and encouraged players to bring the trophy home.
This franchise-based tournament will feature 25 matches among six teams, culminating in a grand final on October 16. The tournament will unfold across four cities, Jodhpur, Surat, Jammu, and Srinagar, said sources.
“Legends League Cricket has witnessed the highest level of competition, cricketing action and fair play across seasons in all the matches that have been played. As league commissioner, it is my job in this league is to ensure that the cricketing part of it is run properly and this season will be no different. There is pride attached to what we do and I am looking forward to another exciting season,” Ravi Shastri was quoted from a release from LLC.
The Barkatullah Khan Stadium in Jodhpur will host six matches, beginning with the opening game on September 20. The action will then move to the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium in Surat for another six matches starting September 27.
From October 3, the Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu will host six matches. Finally, the LLC will bring cricket back to Srinagar after 40 years, with seven matches, including the final, at the Bakshi Stadium from October 9 to 16, sources added.
In this season, Indian legends Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, Ambati Rayudu, Dhawal Kulkarni, and Kedar Jadhav will make their debut in the tournament. The knockout stages will feature the qualifier on October 12, the eliminator on October 13, the semi-final on October 14, and the final on October 16.