New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS): The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley said that the upcoming Delhi Premier League (DPL) will serve as a platform for youngsters to showcase their talent and excel in the sport. Jaitley on Friday announced that the inaugural edition of the league will commence in the second half of August at Arun Jaitley Stadium. The league will feature both men's and women's teams.

The franchise auction for the league was held last Sunday and resulted in the sale of six men's teams for a total amount of Rs 49.65 crore.

"We believe Delhi has an immense talent pool who sometimes get an opportunity and sometimes don't to play for the state. The goal behind starting the Delhi Premier League is to give players a platform to showcase their talent," Jaitley told IANS.

"We've listed players in four categories. List D features top performers of the leagues of Delhi's clubs. We've given them an opportunity to excel in the sport. If any franchise drafts them, they will have the potential of showcasing their talent on the biggest platform in the country," he said.

"My only target is to provide an opportunity for the best player to perform. What comes ahead will depend on the fortune of the player and his performance," he added.

The inauguration ceremony has a draft of 270 players from all across Delhi, including national, U-23, and U-19. The first season of DPL will feature a total of 40 matches, with 33 games in the men's category and seven in the women's.

It will feature six franchises, namely West Delhi Lions, North Delhi Strikers, South Delhi Superstarz, Purani Delhi-6, Delhi Kings, and East Delhi Riders.

DDCA president further highlighted how big will be the opportunity for young players to share a dressing room with Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini and Harshit Rana, who have confirmed their participation in the league.