Lucknow: While the IPL and World Cup have shaken up the cricket scene in Lucknow, the UPT20 league is proving to be a unique stage where local stars get a broader audience. Speaking exclusively to The Lucknow Tribune, CMD, Ekana Sportz City, Uday Sinha said that Uttar Pradesh is fertile ground for sports talent.
Uday Sinha said, “U.P. has population of 25 core plus and platforms like the UPT20 League offer a unique opportunity for hidden talent at the local level to test the 22 yards. The aspiring cricketers also get a much needed push at the national level. Under the UPCA supervision, a total of 150 players are picked. 25 players for six teams. Apart from a massive opportunity, it also helps local talent grab major eyeballs. The games are directly telecast across noted sports verticals. Good players get good promotion. The league has teams divided across zones based on the UPCA pool.”
So what’s the mood post the mega auction. Uday Sinha says – The auction has definitely given the league a major boost with picks like Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. His experience in IPL is sure to give the Lucknow Falcons the edge. The broader dynamics of the gameplay will be further decided in a meeting to be held soon.
What makes Lucknow Falcons special ? Uday Sinha said, “The Lucknow Falcons has a special place for us at Ekana. The best talent is not only scouted but they get a chance to showcase their talent through this franchise. From the monetary perspective it is a win – win given the team has a unique talent pool of uncapped players. Specialists in different cricket training disciplines are constantly keeping an eye on the burgeoning talent giving them the right direction.”
He reaffirmed that a good cricket atmosphere is being created in the state with new experiments with regards to cricket leagues.
So are there lessons learnt from the inaugural season of the UPT20 League ? He said that by the time the finals were played last season, injuries in players were a common irritant. The backup to counter that issue was weak. This led to the need for a gap analysis. A proper framework is now in place to help local talent deliver in the right atmosphere.
It is due to these cricket leagues that several rising stars like Sameer Rizvi got a spot in the cash rich Indian Premier League. He played for Chennai Super Kings.
After grueling rounds of local talent spotting and trials the UP T 20 league picked some fine talent. Some of the faces that have been shortlisted have also been getting there training in the state of the art Ekana Sportz City training facility.
As India sees the Olympics mood pick steam, sport beyond cricket is quite a talking point in the Indian realm. While the Cricket academy under cricket stalwart Venkatesh Prasad has made quite a mark in grooming talent, other sport is equally important for the Ekana Sports training roster. Uday Sinha said there is equal emphasis on sport like Badminton, squash, table tennis, Basket ball, volleyball and football.
He says if all goes well plans are afoot to have a fully competent I league team as well. With doctors across the board recommending physical activity, even Uday Sinha appeals youngsters to take to sport. He says with sports part of lifestyle a lot of the physical and mental ailments can be cut down.
He said that in no time, Ekana Sportz City has emerged as a promising sports infrastructure which allows aspiring sportspersons get best facilities closer to home.
He said the leagues like UPT20 league open avenues for talent spotting across regional and national sports arena. Multiple franchises see the top performers. It also opens opportunities on the national stage, especially the IPL.
With new age experiments in local sport leagues and more top class cricket happening in the city, even Sinha believes that a business boom is here to stay from the hospitality and catering perspective. He adds now the onus is on training academies to create better talent and ensure quality control in delivery.
He said look forward to good cricket action at the UP T20 League from 25 August to September 15, 2024.
