Kerala Cricket League 2024: THIS Former RCB Teammate Of Virat Kohli Lights Up Opening Match, Will Sanju Samson Play In Tournament?

Yet every other T20 franchise league got underway in India – this time the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) 2024 – with Alleppey Ripples taking up Thrissur Titans in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday (September 2). The superstar of the hole fixture grow to be an ex-teammate of Virat Kohli inside of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise inside of the Indian Premier League (IPL) – Mohammed Azharuddeen.

The 30-year-old from Thalangara in Kerala smashed ninety two off forty seven balls with 9 sixes and three fours while opening the batting for the Ripples as they chased down Titans target of 162 with 9 balls to spare and five wickets in hand. Azharuddeen just missed out on scoring KCL 2024’s first-ever century but Vinoop Manoharan with 30 and Akshay TK’s 18 off 17 balls completed the formalities.

WATCH Mohammed Azharuddeen’s ninety two inside of the Kerala Cricket League opener HERE…

– Mohammed Azharuddeen!#KCL2024 #കേരളംകളിതുടങ്ങി #KeralaCricketLeague percenttwitter.com/QFQQv09n2u

— Kerala Cricket League (@KCL_t20) September 2, 2024

Azharuddeen had shot into the limelight inside of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020-21 after smashing 137 no out off Fifty four balls against Mumbai. He managed just 143 runs at a regular of 23.eighty three in 2022 after which got dropped midway during the SMAT 2023 season after scoring 22 runs inside of the three games he played. He grow to be also released by RCB after IPL 2021 season, where he did now not make a single appearance for Kohli’s side.

Azharuddeen-led Alleppey side were in total regulate on the game since Fazil Fanoos struck on the very first ball of the tournament. Anand Joseph (3/32) and Akshay Chandran (1/18) were the percent of the bowlers for Alleppey.  Akshay Manohar (fifty seven off forty four) showed some fight for the Titans, smashing five sixes in his blazing fifty.

Meanwhile, the inaugural edition of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) will started off on September 2 and can continue till September 18. All of the matches of the tournament will likely be hosted on the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

The six teams a fine way to participate inside of the Kerala Cricket League are – Alleppey Ripples, Thrissur Titans, Trivandrum Royals, Kochi Blue Tigers, Calicut Globstars and Kollam Sailors.

Rajasthan Royals and Kerala skipper Sanju Samson will now not be collaborating inside of the tournament featuring the likes of Sachin Little one, Rohan Kunnummal, Basil Thampi, Vishnu Vinod and Abdul Basith.

Samson has been named as the tournament icon for the inaugural season, while Malayalam movie superstar Mohanlal has been roped in as the Brand Ambassador. The six teams will play two matches against every opponent inside of the group stages. The head four teams will advance to the semifinals. The 1st team will play the 4th placed team and the 2nd-placed team will lock horns against the Third-placed team inside of the semis.