Rajkot: Close to 250 budding cricketers from Gujarat in different age groups will play in Kenya which will preparing to host the Simba Premier League (SML) organized by a non-resident Gujarati (NRG). in December.A team of Mombasa Simba cricket academy headed by NRG Manoj Patel, a native of Kutch, is on the visit to Gujarat. The team is accompanied Thomas Odoyo, former international cricket player for Kenya. In all, 50 teams from 11 countries will participate in this tournament in five categories - under-13, under-15, under-19 and two divisions in above-19 players. Ten teams will play in each category.The team is currently in Kutch to select players. Before Kutch, they selected four teams each from Surat, Ahmedabad and New Delhi and two from Vadodara. There will be 15 players in each team that will go to Kenya for the tournament. In all, 42 teams from 11 countries including India have been selected till the date.Patel a native of Khirasara Roha village of Nakhatrana taluka, is settled in Kenya since for the last 26 years and is engaged in construction business. He started this cricket academy with some Kenyan players who have played international matches in the past.Talking to TOI, Patel said: “This is the first time we organizing such a tournament in Kenya. Ours is a small country and we need to strengthen our team. Getting players from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and others countries will boost to our local cricket and improve the standard of our players.”The tournaments will be organized in five different grounds in Mombasa city. A team will play on alternate day and would be T-20 matches . The players have been selected from district cricket associations, and, in Ahmedabad from a private academy. The associations have been asked to send their best players. “Ten best performing players will get the chance to play in various clubs of Kenya. They will sign contracts with these players and pay them fees equivalent to 50,000 Indian rupees.”Mombasa Simba cricket Academy is affiliated with Coast Cricket Association which in turn is affiliated to Cricket Kenya, the official board for cricket recognized by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Stay updated with all the Latest Rajkot headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.