Jaipur: The second edition of the SPL cricket tournament, aimed at providing a national-level platform to young cricket talent, was announced in Jaipur on Monday. The tournament will now be held under the name “SPL Bharat Cup 2027-Season 2.”Several major changes have been made to the tournament this year, including a T-12 format, an auction system for players, the use of a synthetic leather ball, and a prize money of Rs 31 lakh for the winning team.Chief Patron Pandit Devkinandan Thakur, 1983 World Cup-winning cricketer Madan Lal, founder Vijay Sharma, chief adviser Sumit Tiwari, strategic adviser Ajay Bhatiwal, cricket operations chief Sanjeev Mishra, and secretary Yogesh Sharma were present at the news conference held at the Constitution Club of Rajasthan in Jaipur.The organisers stated that after the success of the first edition, extensive changes have been made to make the second edition more professional and transparent. The tournament will be held in February-March 2027. This time, the matches will be played in the T-12 format instead of the T-10 format, and synthetic leather balls will be used instead of tennis balls.Chief Patron Pandit Devkinandan Thakur stated that sports is not just a means of winning or losing, but a powerful tool for inculcating discipline, character building, patriotism, and social responsibility in youth.
Chief Patron Pandit Devkinandan Thakur and 1983 World Cup-winning cricketer Madan Lal during the press conference in Jaipur on Monday
He added that the objective of the SPL Bharat Cup is not only to provide a platform for cricketing talent, but also to cultivate responsible and inspiring youth.Former international cricketer Madan Lal stated that there is no dearth of talent in small towns and villages. If they receive the right opportunities and guidance, they can reach the national level. He added that a transparent selection process and a competitive environment will provide players with a better opportunity to advance.Founder Vijay Sharma stated that players aged 14 to 35 will be eligible to participate in the tournament. Trials will be held across the country, after which an auction pool of 250 players will be created. Of these, 50 will be selected based on their performance in the first edition, and 200 through trials.Eight teams will then select 128 players through an auction. Each team will consist of 16 players. Players will be placed in A, B, and C categories based on their skills.The base price for A category players is set at Rs 75,000, B category players at Rs 50,000, and C category players at Rs 25,000.Eight teams representing Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan will participate in the tournament.According to the organisers, the winning team will receive a prize money of Rs 31 lakh, while the runner-up will receive Rs 21 lakh. Additionally, the ‘man of the series’ will receive a car, while the best batsman and best bowler will receive a bike each.The organising committee stated that the objective of the SPL Bharat Cup is not only to conduct a cricket competition, but also to promote social concerns through sports and provide opportunities for young players to reach the national level.
