Intro
Over 1,300 cricketers enter auction pool for Telangana’s franchise league.
Hyderabad
The Hyderabad cricket fraternity is gearing up for a landmark moment as the inaugural TG20 Player Auction is scheduled to be held on June 7, paving the way for Telangana’s first-ever franchise-based T20 cricket league.
Organised by the Hyderabad Cricket Association, the auction will take place at the Princess Convention Centre in Ramoji Film City and marks a major step towards the launch of the TG20 league, which is set to begin on June 21.
More than 1,300 HCA-registered cricketers will go under the hammer as eight franchises assemble their squads for the tournament. The auction pool will be led by Telangana’s international stars Mohammed Siraj and Tilak Varma, who are expected to attract intense bidding from team owners.
Several established domestic players, including Rohit Rayudu, Rahul Buddhi, CV Milind and Tanmay Agarwal, are also part of the auction pool. Emerging talents such as India Under-19 player Aaron George and members of Telangana’s Vinoo Mankad Trophy-winning squad will further add depth to the competition.
The inaugural edition of TG20 will feature eight teams — Hyderabad e-Champions, Pranava Ranga Reddy Risers, Warangal Warriors, Medak Falcons, Anurag Nalgonda Knights, Karimnagar Diamonds, Palamuru Strikers and Anvita Khammam Aces.
Each franchise will have a purse of ₹60 lakh and will be required to spend at least ₹54 lakh while building squads of up to 20 players. In a move aimed at promoting cricket across the state, every team must include a minimum of four district players in its squad, with at least two district cricketers featuring in the playing XI.
Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu, who chairs the HCA Cricket Operations Committee, played a key role in organising player trials and talent identification programmes.
The auction will be conducted by renowned sports presenter Charu Sharma and streamed live on JioHotstar, allowing cricket fans to witness the formation of Telangana’s newest cricketing spectacle.