Sanju Samson has been named as the tournament icon for the Kerala Cricket League 2024 T20 tournament, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) announced.

Sanju Samson, who recently featured in the T20 international series against Sri Lanka, was also a part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in June.

One of Kerala cricket’s biggest names, Samson has been playing First-Class cricket for the state since 2011. However, will not play in the upcoming tournament.

Samson, captain of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, unveiled the logo of the tournament on Friday.

The Kerala Cricket League, in its inaugural edition, will be contested between six teams - Kochi Blue Tigers, Trivandrum Royals, Thrissur Titans, Kollam Sailors, Calicut Globstars and Alleppey Ripples.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from September 2 to September 18 at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

"Fans can look forward to two thrilling games each day, including day and night matches,” the Kerala Cricket Association announced.

“The league will officially be launched by the legendary actor and KCL brand ambassador, Mohanlal, on August 31 at 12:00 PM."

Each team has already picked up one icon player each - Mohammed Azharuddeen (Alleppey Ripples), Rohan S Kunnummal (Calicut Globstars), Basil Thampi (Kochi Blue Tigers), Sachin Baby (Kollam Sailors), Vishnu Vinod (Thrissur Titans) and Abdul Basith (Trivandrum Royals).

The player auction for the tournament was conducted on Saturday where a total of 168 players registered for the auction, with each team allowed to pick a maximum of 20 players.

MS Akhil emerged as the costliest buy at INR 7.4 lakh. He was picked by the Trivandrum Royals.