Rajkot (Gujarat) [India], May 27 (ANI): The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) announced the venue and schedule of the Saurashtra Pro T20 League (SPTL), a franchise-based league that will showcase the region's finest cricketing talent in a thrilling, high-energy format.

The tournament will be held at the renowned Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Five teams will compete for the title, including Anmol Kings Halar, Aryan Sorath Lions, Dita Gohilwad Titans, Zalawad Strikers, and JMD Kutch Riders. SPTL 2025 will be played from June 7 to 20 and will have around 21 matches, including the final.

The Players' draft will be organised on Tuesday, with a pool of about 125 players in three categories. All coaches and other team support will be selected from the Saurashtra Cricket Association. However, teams can have national or international former players as mentors.

A Media Conference was held at Niranjan Shah Stadium to announce further tournament details, including the dates, total number of matches, and players' draft.

Saurashtra Pro T20 League's Chairman Jayveer Shah shared the details and said, according to a press release from the SCA, 'There will be five teams in this franchise-based tournament. Teams are named by historic and popular regions of Saurashtra-Kutch and clubbed with their respective franchisee. Names of five teams shall be Anmol Kings Halar, Aryan Sorath Lions, Dita Gohilwad Titans, Zalawad Strikers and JMD Kutch Riders. Each team will play two league matches, and thus the tournament shall have 21 matches, including the final. In the earlier format of SCA's T20 league, each team played only 1 match, and so SCA is making the tournament bigger and more competitive.'

Jaydev Shah, President of Saurashtra Cricket Association, addressed the presence of SCA office bearers Himanshu Shah, Secretary; Shyam Raichura, Treasurer; Karan Shah, Joint Secretary; and Jayveer Shah, Chairman of Saurashtra Pro T20 League.

'It gives me immense pleasure to announce the Saurashtra Pro T20 League, an exciting new chapter in Saurashtra's cricketing journey. The tournament is a landmark initiative by the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) to further promote and develop the game at a professional level within our region. Saurashtra Pro T20 League will feature top-tier and emerging talents from across the region of Saurashtra & Kutch and beyond, providing a robust platform for young and emerging cricketers to showcase their skills alongside experienced players of Saurashtra. This tournament aims to bring high-quality, competitive T20 cricket to fans across the Globe. Saurashtra Cricket Association's aim and objective is only Cricket and the development of Cricket in all formats,' Jaydev said.

'I am confident that SPTL shall give a great platform and exposure to players of Saurashtra & Kutch to the most popular format of the Game, and they shall build good confidence for such a competitive and electrifying tournament. And this is the aim of the Saurashtra Cricket Association to provide such platforms of competitive tournaments along with the best infrastructure so that more and more players represent Team India as well as are picked in the most popular IPL,' he added. (ANI)