Anant Shekher Misra | TNNKanpur: The stage is set for the fourth edition of the UP T20 League players’ auction, with 282 cricketers from across the state set to go under the hammer in Agra on Friday. The auction will see six franchises compete to fill 45 vacant slots in their respective squads ahead of the upcoming season.The participating franchises — Kanpur Superstars, Kashi Rudras, Noida Super Kings, Lucknow Falcons, Meerut Mavericks and Gorakhpur Lions — have already reached Agra and begun brainstorming ahead of the intense bidding process.Chairman of the UP T20 League Governing Council, Sanjay Kapoor, said the players have been divided into three categories with different base prices. Ten players have been placed in Category A, carrying a base price of Rs 5 lakh. Prominent names in this category include Anchit Yadav, Shivam Chaudhary (Ghaziabad), Shoaib Siddiqui (Saharanpur), Karan Chaudhary (Bulandshahr), Harsh and Kunal Yadav.A total of 33 players have been included in Category B, each with a base price of Rs 3.5 lakh, while the remaining players fall under Category C with a base price of Rs 2.5 lakh.Adding further excitement to the auction, 38 fast bowlers identified through the UPCA’s Speed Hunt competition have also been included in the player pool with a base price of Rs 2.5 lakh. Players selected directly by franchises through talent hunt programmes will receive Rs 2 lakh for the entire season.Speaking to TOI, Kapoor said the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association’s vision of expanding the league across the state was steadily progressing. He noted that the current season has brought Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra together under a common hosting arrangement and hinted that more cities are likely to be added from next season.Among the franchises, Noida Super Kings enter the auction with the highest available purse of Rs 80.60 lakh, followed by Lucknow Falcons (Rs 70.20 lakh), Kanpur Superstars (Rs 65 lakh), Kashi Rudras (Rs 47.15 lakh) and Meerut Mavericks (Rs 28.10 lakh) for player acquisitions.“The UP T20 League has emerged as one of the country’s biggest domestic T20 competitions after the IPL, and the matches will be streamed on JioHotstar,” Kapoor said.
