KPL 2018: All set for season seven

Season 7 of the Karbonn Smartphones Karnataka Premier League Powered by Lakshmi Vilas Bank is all set for take-off with the inaugural game between defending champions Belagavi Panthers and Bengaluru Blasters at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday evening. Six of the seven teams vying for the glittering trophy that was launched on Monday, will ply their wares in the city over three days before the tournament moves to Hubbali first and Mysuru later.

The KPL is a home-grown local tournament that has been nurtured over the years by the Karnataka State Cricket Association but unlike the other leagues and tournaments conducted by the state body, this is where the men are separated from the boys. Forget the league players, those who turn out in division and age-group cricket, even for the player who have featured in and done well in first-class cricket, the KPL can be a different and tougher test.

It’s not the format that’s the issue, enough T20 cricket is played these days at all levels, its way more than that. For, the KPL is about lights, camera and action, played in front of big crowds, watched by a growing television audience and commentated on by acclaimed former international cricketers. And as the Australian legend Michael Hussey put it, the KPL is also a place where the talent scouts from the IPL sides land up to identify potential for the next edition of the IPL. So lesser men can turn into jelly and only the tough will survive.

Fortunately for both the Panthers and Blasters, two men who have been with the KPL and IPL since inception, both India players to boot, will be leading the respective sides. Stuart Binny and Robin Uthappa, Karnataka teammates and IPL rivals for long, are the men in charge of Belagavi and Bengaluru respectively and are just the kind of leaders who can ensure a sense of calm inside the dressing room and out in the middle.

“As defending champions, the pressure is certainly on us, but we are up and ready for the challenge,” Binny said on the eve of the opening game. “We have retained nearly 70 percent of our squad from last year, so that will help us cope,” he added. “And its good we are playing the Blasters, they are a newish unit.”

No one knows this better than Uthappa. “Considering we didn’t do too well last season, in a way its good we are starting off against the defending champs. If we come off well in this game, and we are raring to go, it will be a huge boost,” he said. “It is, of course, a very important game for in tournaments such as this (each team plays the other only once before the knockouts), momentum is important,” added Uthappa.

Both teams will miss some senior pros but both captains are confident they have the youngsters to take their places. Belagavi Panthers will miss the services of Manish Pandey for the initial period while Bengaluru Blasters will similarly have to do without Prasidh Krishna and Shreyas Gopal, the latter being added to the squad as a replacement player. “It gives the younger guys an opportunity to shine,” was the sentiment shared by Binny and Uthappa.

It does. All is set then for live action.

Wednesday’s match timings: 6.45 pm to 9.55 pm. Preceded by the Opening ceremony at 5.30 pm.

Live on Star Sports 2, Star Sports HD 2 (English and Kannada commentary) and Hotstar

Editors pl note: Afternoon matches will start at 2.00 pm while evening matches will start at 6.30 pm. Only the inaugural match will start at 6.45 pm.

Tickets can be purchased from the following links:

https://insider.in/kpl-2018-bengaluru-blasters-vs-belagavi-panthers-aug15-2018/event

https://insider.in/kpl-2018-hubli-tigers-vs-bijapur-bulls-aug16-2018/event

https://insider.in/kpl-2018-bengaluru-blasters-vs-bellari-tuskers-aug17-2018/event

Official Karbonn KPL Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/kplksca/

Official Karbonn KPL Twitter Handle - @KPLKSCA

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