Coimbatore : The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has announced that the fourth edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) cannot be conducted in Coimbatore, in spite of facilities at the ground almost ready for inauguration.
Coimbatore : The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has announced that the fourth edition of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) cannot be conducted in Coimbatore, in spite of facilities at the ground almost ready for inauguration.
Coimbatore District Cricket Association Secretary, Gowdhaman is of the opinion that since ground work is almost done, the stadium will be ready in a month to host board matches. But since the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association has made a decision to spend money on players and team, the laying of floodlights, media box and gallery will be done in the second stage of work. Setting of floodlights, media box and gallery will cost around 5 crores and hence the Association had decided to do the remaining necessary work in the upcoming year and hopefully allow Coimbatore to host the next edition of TNPL. Apart from TNPL matches, other board matches and league matches are scheduled to be held in Coimbatore.
While cricket enthusiasts are keenly awaiting TNPL in the cotton city, unofficial sources say that it will be a few years before TNPL can be held in Coimbatore. "It is a dream for every cricket fan in Coimbatore to have a stadium in the city as we produce quality players for years and we are second to none in terms of resources. After many years of waiting, the construction of a cricket stadium in Coimbatore has begun and now when it is almost in the finishing stage and ready to host matches, the announcement from TNCA in not selecting Coimbatore as a venue for TNPL 4 has left fans in the city disappointed," opined a sports fan in the city.
The fourth edition of TNPL will be held at Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Chennai. The Association has taken a call to have two Under-19 players in every team which augurs well for budding cricketers from districts and rural parts of the State to showcase their skills on the big stage.