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Former Indian Premier League (IPL) pacer Abu Nechim of the Guwahati Royals has called the Assam Premier League (APL) a vital platform for the state's next generation of cricketers, saying the league gives emerging players a professional stage alongside established names and the visibility that comes with it.
According to a release, speaking at the APL player auction, Nechim said, "The Assam Premier League is very important, it is a genuinely good platform for our juniors. We had over 270 players in the auction, and I had knowledge of only about 120 of them." "That tells you the sheer depth of undiscovered talent across Assam. The league gives every one of those players a stage to be seen," he added. Having featured in the Indian Premier League himself, Nechim pointed to his own journey, and that of India batter Riyan Parag, as proof of where Assam's cricketers can reach. "Every player and every franchise has the same aim, to win the tournament. But imagine if players from the APL franchises go on to play the IPL, or even for India, next year. That is the real opportunity this league offers, and it will serve Assam cricket for years to come," he added. The Assam Premier League, organised under the aegis of the Assam Cricket Association with the motto "Aamar Axom, Aamar Gourab", brings together franchise teams from across the state, including the Guwahati Royals, and is designed to provide a professional T20 environment for emerging players alongside established names. Denish Das emerged as the most expensive buy during the marquee player round of the Assam Premier League (APL) Player Auction, with Barpeta Braves securing his services for Rs 12.60 lakh following an exciting round of bidding in Guwahati on Sunday. Sumit Ghadigaonkar was the second-highest buy among the marquee players, joining Charaideo Sunrisers for Rs 12.20 lakh, while experienced Assam batter Sibsankar Roy was acquired by Barak Legends for Rs 12 lakh, according to a press release from ACA. Ayushman Malakar and Swarupam Purkayastha completed the top five marquee buys, with Tezpur Titans and Jorhat Stallions securing them respectively for Rs 11.80 lakh each. The marquee player round saw the franchises compete for some of Assam's leading domestic cricketers as they began assembling their squads for the upcoming edition of the Assam Premier League. Among the other notable acquisitions from the marquee player pool, Barak Legends added Abdul Ajij Kuraishi for Rs 8.40 lakh and Bhargab Lakhar for Rs 5.20 lakh. (ANI)
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