Fifth edition of Andhra Premier League to kick off at Vizag on June 9

The fifth edition of the Andhra Premier League (APL) will kick off at the Dr. YSR ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium on June 9, the Andhra Cricket Association announced on Wednesday.

APL Governing Council chairman Sujay Krishna Ranga Rao unveiled the tournament schedule, confirming that seven teams will battle for honours this season. The participating franchises are Bhimavaram Bulls, Royals of Rayalaseema, Vijayawada Sunshiners, Amaravathi Royals, Simhadri Lions, Kakinada Kings, and Thungabhadra Warriors.

The tournament will be played in a round-robin format across Visakhapatnam, Kadapa, and Mangalagiri.

Hosts Simhadri Lions will take on Kakinada Kings in the opening match. The Dr. YSR ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium will host 11 matches until June 14. Day matches are scheduled to begin at 1.30 pm, while day-night games will commence at 7.30 pm.

The Kadapa leg of the tournament will begin on June 17, followed by the Mangalagiri phase from June 24.

ACA president Kesineni Sivanath, popularly known as Chinni, and secretary Sana Satish Babu said the league would provide a strong platform for emerging cricketers from across Andhra Pradesh. They added that it would further strengthen the domestic cricket structure in the state.

More than 550 players from Andhra Pradesh registered for the APL auction. All seven teams have already begun training camps at various venues across the state.