48 top cricketers go on 'auction' today to play in PCL T20-Port City Cricket League (PCL)- News- 2009-14

48 top cricketers go on 'auction' today to play in PCL T20

The ceremonial 'auction' of 48 top cricketers for the country's first-ever Twenty20 Cricket League -- The Habib Group Port City League (PCL) T20 -- will be held today (Saturday) at the Chittagong Club auditorium.

The much-talked-about eight-team high-budgeted PCL T20 Cricket League will begin in the port city of Chittagong on May 2 in the smash-and-grab style of India's IPL Twenty20 Cricket.

Forty-eight leading cricketers of the country, in five groups, will go on auction with per match floor price of Tk 30,000 for Grade A+ cricketer, Tk 20,000 for Grade A, Tk 15,000 for Grade A-, Tk 10,000 for Grade B+, and Tk 8,000 for Grade B.

Shipping Minister Dr Afsarul Amin will inaugurate the auction for heavyweight cricketers at 10 am at the Chittagong Club auditorium in presence of high officials of BCB, national cricketers, organizers, elite and local sports lovers.

A five-member squad of eight participating teams, seating in a mini camp under club's flag, will compete in the ceremonial auction to buy their desired players for the PCL T20.

Eight teams, split into two groups, will complete in the country's ever-highest 2.40 crore taka Twenty20 Cricket League at the first test venue in the port city of Chittgaong - MA Aziz Stadium.

Participating teams: Chittagong Abahani Ltd, Chittagong Mohammedan SC, Chittagong Brothers Union, Ispahani SC, Pirates of Chittagong, Dada Warriors, Top Sports and DSC Tigers.

Satellite TV channel ATN Bangla is expected to telecast live four PCL matches - the opening ceremony and match, two semifinals and the final.

The participating teams will be entitled to recruit two foreign players, two national players, four Dhaka Premier Division Cricketers and three players from Chittagong Division.

The champions will receive Tk 15 lakh as prize money and the runners-up Tk 5 lakh.

Man of the match will get Tk 10,000 while the league's best player will get Tk 25,000 and highest scorer and highest wicket-taker Tk 15,000 each.

Meanwhile, Shipping Minister Dr Afsarul Amin visited the PCL T20 office Friday afternoon and expressed satisfaction over the preparations.

Shamsul Haque Chowdhury MP, PCL chairman AZM Nasiruddin, PCL vice-chairman Ali Abbas, PCL coordinator and BCB director Sirajuddin Mohammad Alamgir and CDA Chairman Abdus Salam were present on the occasion.