LUCKNOW, March 11 -- The inaugural Lucknow Premier League (LPL) has run into some trouble and it seems unlikely that it will start this season. Most top LPL players will remain engaged until August due to the upcoming IPL season and the UPT20 League. So far, all franchises have already paid half the amount of Rs 50 lakh per team but the LPL, initially supposed to be held in 2025, will now also have to contend with the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association's new protocols. The new protocols came into effect just before the LPL's scheduled commencement but several other district leagues, including those in Ayodhya and Meerut were allegedly 'spared' from these protocols. The league in Ayodhya starts on Tuesday, whereas the player auction for the Meerut league was conducted only a few days ago. In fact, the new protocols forced the LPL organisers to change things, especially the clause restricting the participation of outstation players. CAL even held supplementary auctions with all its six franchises according to the new guidelines. But even after more than three weeks' time, the LPL is yet to get an official go-ahead from the UPCA, and now they have been advised to make a few more corrections before the event starts. However, UPCA's secretary, Prem Manohar Gupta denied any ill intent by the games governing body. "There must be some technical lacuna and that's why there is a delay in granting permission to CAL to conduct the LPL. We had reports of many irregularities, including financial ones and the victimisation of players in both leagues in Lucknow and Ayodhya; That's why UPCA had to introduce new protocols for conducting district leagues," Gupta said on Wednesday. He also claimed that the UPCA duly permitted all other district leagues, including those in Meerut and Saharanpur, and that their conduct had no discrepancies. "UPCA wants all its 75 district units to conduct leagues regularly, but only after following the norms of the new protocols. So far, all the leagues being conducted across the state have official permission from the UPCA and the sporting body is keeping an eye on their conduct," he said. "We don't want any wrongdoing in any of the district leagues as at the end of the day it hampers the image of the UPCA." Meanwhile, CAL secretary, KM Khan on Wednesday said that he was unaware about LPL's conduct, as everything is at a standstill. "I don't know the latest update on the LPL. It's true that some people within the CAL wanted to host the event on their own instead of allowing a sports management body to conduct it, but I don't think that people within the CAL are against the event."...