Ganeshotsav is here, and what better occasion to kick start the countdown to the state’s biggest sporting event, the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL).
While T20 fans and party wait for yet another year of slam-bang on-field action during the MPL-3 scheduled later this month the organizers Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) and Sakaal Media Group have jointly decided to be part of the celebrations and seek blessings of Lord Ganesh in their own special way.
This year, the Maharashtra Premier league stars, who hail from all over the state, will assemble themselves to represent their teams and visit historic and traditionally rich Ganesh mandals situated in eight districts of the State.
The first of these visits by teams of three players each (nominated by the team) will have Devgiri Emperors travel to Aurangabad on September 3 and perform the Maha-Arati.
The Maharashtra Premier League (MPL), first-ever State based T20 league in India, jointly organized by the Maharashtra Cricket Association and the Sakal Media Group, is all set to get underway on September 28.
The MPL has been designed to give an opportunity to cricketers from various districts of Maharashtra to display their talent and hence, it’s ideal that stars of the MPL go to various districts and take the already popular league to different parts of the State in this festive season.
MPL heroes will also visit well known and historically traditional mandals in PCMC, Nashik, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, Navi Mumbai, Satara, Jalgaon, which is sure to take the league’s popularity to an even higher level.
“It is necessary to reach out to cricket fans in various districts that yearn to see innovation in a sport that is a religion in the country. We feel, this could bring in even bigger crowds, especially people from outside Pune, for the MPL matches this season,” Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke said.
As part of MPL’s celebration of Ganesh Festival, the eight franchisees are likely to join one of the biggest and most popular Ganesh mandals in the city on the last day of the celebration, the day when every devotee bids the Lord goodbye.
Meanwhile, an exclusive MPL float will parade along with the chosen mandal during the immersion process.
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