Maharashtra state's district Cricket associations are affiliated to this board.[6]
History
The Maharashtra Cricket Association was established to promote and develop cricket in the state of Maharashtra, India.[9] Initially, the MCA used the Nehru Stadium in Pune for international matches. However, due to disputes over ticket allocations with the Pune Municipal Corporation, the MCA decided to construct its own stadium.[10]
In 2007, the MCA commissioned Hopkins Architects to design a new 57,000-seat stadium in Pune.[11] The groundbreaking ceremony for the new stadium was performed on October 21, 2007, by Sharad Pawar, the then President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.[12]
The MCA Stadium hosted its first Ranji Trophy game between Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh on December 21, 2011.[13] It was officially inaugurated on April 1, 2012, by Sharad Pawar, who was then the ICC President.[14]
The stadium hosted its first international fixture, a T20I match between India and England, in December 2012.[15] In November 2015, it was granted approval as a Test match center by the International Cricket Council (ICC), and it hosted its first Test match in February 2017.[16]
The MCA Stadium has since become a prominent venue for IPL and international cricket matches. It has served as the home ground for IPL teams such as Pune Warriors India and Rising Pune Supergiant.[17] The stadium's unique design, featuring a roof made of steel trusses resembling a spider's web, has made it an architectural marvel and a symbol of Maharashtra's love for cricket.[18]
Tournament
Maharashtra Cricket Association founded its franchise league Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) in 2023, which have six teams. It sold the franchise rights for 57 crore rupees for three years through open bidding. The first season will be held Jun 15, 2023 onwards at Pune's stadium. Pune franchise was sold in 14 Cr along with Ruturaj Gaikwad as their iconic player, Kedar Jadhav is Kolhapur franchise's iconic player.[7]