After the BCCI suspended the IPL ‘till further notice’, there were doubts whether the fifth edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), the State’s biggest and most attractive T20 league, would meet the same fate.
However, R.S. Ramasaamy, the TNCA secretary, is confident of the tournament going ahead. “We strongly believe it will happen as per the original schedule in June. After the lockdown period is over on May 3, we plan to have a series of meetings and take a call,” he said. “We are in touch with our franchises and we all hope the league will take place.”
He said TNCA was prepared even for an extended lockdown. “In such a scenario, we will look at June-end or a July start. The ‘caravan’ model of four centres — Coimbatore, Salem, Natham (Dindigul) and Tirunelveli — and seven league matches each will be followed.
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Building interest
“The idea behind the Caravan model is to make it easier for the players, the television crew and for all those involved in the game. Seven matches on the trot can help in building interest and the home team also gets to play more games,” he added.
Ramasaamy also pointed out that all the four centres are as good as ready to host the matches. Interestingly, Coimbatore and Salem are the two new additions this year. For the former, it has been a year’s wait, while the latter’s venue was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of the State in February.
The TNPL has grown in popularity and stature in both Natham and Tirunelveli over the past four years.
The entertainment-starved fans of Coimbatore and Salem are as eager as the TNCA for the league to start on time and, with it, build a strong base for the future.
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