APL (AKCAF Premier League), the biggest Colleges Alumni tournament, launches its fifth edition

By K.R. Nayar

It’s one of the UAE’s hugely participated-in and popular tournaments — the BNW-sponsored All Kerala Colleges Alumni Forum–UAE (AKCAF) organised APL (AKCAF Premier League). What makes this tournament truly special is its scale and spirit — it stands tall as one of the biggest inter-collegiate tournaments held outside Kerala and has firmly established itself as one of the UAE’s most vibrant mass-participation cricket events. With 32 colleges in action, the APL throws open a grand stage for more than 600 cricketers to showcase their talent, passion, and competitive fire.

AKCAF's APL team that ensures the excellent conduct of the tournament 

Conceptualised and driven by a group of passionate cricket lovers, the tournament has grown steadily and proudly into its fifth edition. This year’s edition will unfold from January 11 to February 15 at the Vision Cricket Centre, promising over a month of thrilling cricket. The organisers leave no stone unturned in ensuring that every edition is more memorable than the last. Adding star power to the grand finale will be former Indian Test cricketer S. Sreesanth, the brand ambassador of the tournament, who will grace the final.

Chief guest and former UAE women's team captain Chayal Mughal addresses the gathering 

True to tradition, the organisers once again turned the jersey launch into a statement event. For the second year in succession, former Kerala captain Sony Cheruvathur and I had the privilege of launching the team jerseys and unveiling the tournament trophy, setting the tone for what promises to be another memorable season. 

Poster annoucing the jersey launch, trophy unveiling and honouring of the three Rajith sisters on January 3

Held at the Marco Polo Hotel on January 3, 2026, this edition’s jersey launch was a colourful and celebratory affair. AKCAF has consistently used this platform to honour excellence, and last year it paid tribute to three Kerala cricket stalwarts — S. Santosh, P. G. Sundar, and Raiphi Gomez. Continuing that meaningful tradition, this year AKCAF honoured the chief guest of the evening, Chaya Mughal, former UAE women’s cricket team captain and Emirates Cricket Board women’s cricket development officer, along with the three inspiring Malayalee sisters — Rishita Rajith, Rinitha Rajith, and Rithika Rajith — who have proudly represented the UAE women’s cricket team.

AKCAF chief patron Issac John addresses the gathering 

AKCAF president Charles Paul introduced the dedicated APL team that works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the tournament meets the highest standards of organisation and professionalism. Addressing the gathering, AKCAF Patron Issac John highlighted the excitement the 100-ball format brings to the competition and expressed confidence that, as in previous years, the tournament would be fiercely contested. General Secretary V. S. Bijukumar, widely respected for his organisational acumen and a driving force behind the success of almost every AKCAF event, infused the evening with positivity through his words and lifted the collective spirit of his team.

General Secretary V. S. Bijukumar motivates his team again 

In her address, Chaya Mughal thanked the organisers for their thoughtful decision to honour women cricketers through this platform. She poignantly recalled the remarkable journey of UAE women’s cricket — from being bowled out for just nine runs in their first international outing to earning the right to compete in Asia Cup and World Cup events. The story of the Rajith sisters, who hail from Wayanad, a rural district in Kerala famed for its lush forests, and went on to represent the UAE, perfectly embodied that journey and richly deserved recognition. Adding to the significance, eight women’s teams will compete in this edition of the tournament.

Yours sincerely unveils the trophy in the presence of AKCAF president Charles Paul, Sony Cheruvathur and other top officials 

For me, being invited to launch the MG College jersey was deeply emotional. It brought back memories of captaining the same college team in Trivandrum’s inter-collegiate tournaments and reaffirmed how cricket has a unique way of connecting the past with the present. All 32 team captains, including well-known Kerala cricketer Hareesh, proudly received their jerseys, marking the official start of the competition.

Yours Sincerely along with Sony Cheruvathur launch the MG College team jersey  

Following an engaging address by renowned Malayalam journalist MCA Nazar, a galaxy of AKCAF office-bearers, organisers, and supporters lined up on the stage — chairman Shahul Hameed, treasurer Judith Fernandez, secretary Manoj KV, vice president Advocate Hashik, joint secretary Renjit Kodoth, joint treasurer Shibu Mohammad, APL advisor Bindu Anthony, APL general convenor Rajaram Shah, women’s division chairperson Rani Sudhir, president Vidya Puthusheri, secretary Reshmi Issac, vice president Sreeja Suresh, Munna Ullas, well-known influencer Abhilash Pillai, ESCOM coordinators Bindu Sreenivas, Biju Sethumadhavan, John K Baby, Gokul Jayachandran, Lal Rajan, Sumesh Saralappan, and joint convenors Rishaf, Varghese, Sudhi Sahib, Shyam Chandrabhanu, Shameer Hussain, Saleem, and Nijith. The sustained success of the APL is a testament to the collective passion, commitment, and tireless hard work of this dedicated team over the years.

A section of the gathering during the function.