BCCI lauds 'unsung heroes' of IPL 2024, announces Rs 25 lakh cash reward to groundsmen, curators of 10 venues

In a statement released on Monday, BCCI secretary Jay Shah recognized the tireless efforts of the groundsmen and curators who ensured top-notch playing surfaces throughout the IPL 2024.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah declared the groundsmen and curators of the 10 regular IPL venues as "unsung heroes" on Monday. He announced that each of them will receive Rs 25 lakh as a token of appreciation for their exceptional work in maintaining brilliant pitches throughout the league. The IPL wrapped up in Chennai on Sunday, culminating with Kolkata Knight Riders clinching their third trophy overall with an impressive eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

"The unsung heroes of our successful T20 season are the incredible ground staff who worked tirelessly to provide brilliant pitches, even in difficult weather conditions," Shah posted on X.

"As a token of our appreciation, the groundsmen and curators at the 10 regular IPL venues will receive INR 25 lakhs each, and the same at the 3 additional venues will get INR 10 lakhs each. Thank you for your dedication and hard work!" he said.

The IPL regular venues spanned across Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur. Additionally, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Dharamsala were introduced as supplementary venues this season. Guwahati became Rajasthan Royals' second home ground, while Visakhapatnam hosted the initial leg of Delhi Capitals' home matches. Dharamsala served as the secondary base for Kings XI Punjab.

This season of the IPL gained attention for its high-scoring encounters, with the record for peak team totals being shattered twice. Teams crossed the 250-run milestone a remarkable eight times throughout the tournament.

Shah also extended congratulations to Kolkata Knight Riders for their victorious title campaign.

"Congratulations to the @KKRiders for clinching the 2024 #TATAIPL! The team showed great consistency throughout the tournament and kudos to @ShreyasIyer15 for leading the side brilliantly.

"Once again, thank you to the fans for coming out in big numbers and for making this yet another successful season!" he said.