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Last edition's runners-up Kolhapur Tuskers picked an experienced all-rounder Shrikant Mundhe and hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Aniket Porwal to strengthen their squad ahead of the upcoming second edition of the Maharashtra Premier League.
The team, owned by the Punit Balan Group, spent a total amount of Rs 10.90 lakh at the player auction held in Pune to add nine players to their 20-member squad and also added some variety in the bowling department while successfully executing their auction strategy. Led by former India batsman Kedar Jadhav, Kolhapur Tuskers had finished runners-up in the last edition after the final was washed out. The team management was determined to pick a few individuals who could add value to the squad from the players auction as they target the champions tag this year. The team had successfully retained the core of their last year's squad by holding on to the likes of last edition top-scorer Ankit Bawane and Sachin Dhas, who played a scintillating 96-run knock under pressure to help India reach the U-19 World Cup final in February this year. "We are happy to pick a strong squad overall. With a good combination of youth and experienced players, the line-up looks fantastic. Each player brings their own unique skills and strengths to the table. I believe this team will take us to new heights in the upcoming season and also entertain the fans and supporters of Kolhapur Tuskers," commented Punit Balan, Chairman and Managing Director of PBG. At the players auction, Kolhapur Tuskers won an intense bidding war for the big-hitting batsman Porwal, paying Rs 3.50 lakh against the base prize of Rs 40,000. They also went all out to get experienced all-rounder Mundhe (base prize Rs 60,000) for Rs 3 lakh. The 35-year-old Mundhe was part of two Indian Premier League teams, making his IPL debut for Pune Warriors back in 2011. He was then bought by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2019. Porwal, who has represented Maharashtra at the U-19 level, scored a couple of half-centuries and batted at a strike rate of over 180 to help his team win the Karbhari Premier League 2024 in March this year. The team also bought all-rounder Yash Khaladkar for Rs 2.7 lakh against the base prize of Rs 20,000. The other players who were bought at the auction by Kolhapur Tuskers include Harsh Sanghvi (Rs 40,000), Harshal Mishra (Rs 40,00), Yogesh Dongare (Rs 30,000), Hrushikesh Daund (Rs 20,000) and Sumit Markali (Rs 20,000). Kolhapur Tuskers squad: Kedar Jadhav, Ankit Bawane, Sachin Dhas, Harsh Sanghvi, Kirtiraj Wadekar, Aniket Porwal, Hrishikesh Daund (U-19), Yogesh Dongare, Taranjit Singh, Atman Pore, Akshay Darekar, Shreyash Chavan, Yash Khaladkar, Nihal Tusamad, Manoj Yadhav, Umar Shah, Harshal Mishra (U-19), Sumit Markali, Siddharth Mhatre, Shrikant Mundhe.(ANI)
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