Two supporters of cricket in Singapore, the Singapore Indian Association (SGIA) and Ceylon Sports Club, (CSC) have come together to launch a cricket league that will give more than 1,500 players the opportunity to indulge in their favourite sport during the weekends.
The Balestier Premier League (BPL) will be played in T20, T25, T30 and T35 formats at the SGIA and CSC grounds.
It will have 56 teams, with a separate league for corporate sides. The league is open to all players, who can play as club or corporate teams.
“Both clubs have produced top cricketers and hockey players who have represented the national teams over the years,” said Mr S. Chandra Das, adviser to SGIA and a former MP, during the launch of the BPL at SGIA on May 5.
“The league will bring the community together and many players will get opportunities to showcase their talents.”
The organisers have also developed an app that will have all the tournament information, making it easier for officials to conduct the matches and fans to follow the scores and highlights.
The SGIA has its own Premier League, which kicked off last year. Teams which play in the SGIA league are not allowed to play in the BPL.
The Singapore Cricket Association also has its own league, which started on May 5 for this season. It will mainly be played at the Singapore Cricket Club ground in Dempsey and the new cricket-specific facility that SCA is developing in West Coast.
In the past, private entities used to organise their own leagues, apart from the SCA league. But that has stopped because it has become expensive for them to use land on lease.
“Not many cricketers are getting a chance to play matches because of a lack of grounds. So we thought we will do the BPL so more of them can play, and there will be cricket for them throughout the year,” said CSC patron Chelva Rajah.
The competition will be tough, said Sudhanshu Gupta, captain of the Grab team, who will play in the T30 (corporate) league.
“But it will give us an opportunity to bond, learn and grow. Our aim is to enjoy and find happiness through this league.”
Players from different states in India, who are living in Singapore, are slated to be part of teams that are playing in the BPL.
“Cricket is a uniting force and players from Bihar and Jharkhand are playing together in the tournament,” said Jitesh Singh, captain of the Bijhar Dabangs team. “We play in the T25 edition and want to showcase our talents.”
