New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- 48 archers were divided among six franchises today as the Archery Association of India officially launched the inaugural edition of the Archery Premier League at a grand event in New Delhi on Thursday. 36 Indian and 12 foreign archers were picked in the draft as all teams formed competitive squads for the first season.

The franchises - Prithviraj Yodhas (New Delhi), Mighty Marathas (Maharashtra), Kakatiya Knights (Telangana), Rajputana Royals (Rajasthan), Chero Archers (Jharkhand), and Chola Chiefs (Tamil Nadu) - stacked up their squads for the upcoming season with stellar line-ups in a thrilling draft that saw several twists and turns, as per a press release from the Archery Association of India (AAI).

The athlet...