KC NEWS DESK
Srinagar: The CRPF Cup 2023 was conducted successfully in Srinagar marking the beginning of an enthralling cricket journey in Kashmir. The prestigious tournament features the participation of 20 leading cricket teams from the regions of Srinagar, Budgam, and Ganderbal.
Shri Ajay Kumar Yadav, IPS, Inspector General of Police, Srinagar, unveiled the tournament in a soft launch on 23rd October 2023. Addressing the gathering, Shri Ajay Kumar Yadav, IG, extended hearty congratulations to the local teams for their enthusiastic participation, emphasizing the deep-seated love for cricket among the youth in Kashmir. He expressed the CRPF’s commitment to providing a platform for young talent to shine, underlining the transformative impact of sports activities on character development.
Over the period of nine days, matches played in four groups at different venues, promised with intense cricket action. The inaugural match, featuring Rainawari Wonder Boys Club and Kashmir Tigers, Lal Chowk, witnessed the latter emerging victorious by an impressive 83 runs. In the second match of the day, HMT Reds secured a hard-fought victory, defeating Friends Cricket Club, Nowhatta, by 4 wickets. The Man of the Match accolades went to Muzamil Feroz of Kashmir Tigers in the first match and Rouhila of HMT Reds in the second match.
To ensure fair play and precision, all matches were Officiated by professional umpires from JKCA and scorers. Additionally, cricket enthusiasts enjoyed all the action live through the Cricheroes app, which live-stream all matches. Semi Finals and Final matches were streamed live on Instagram and Facebook.
The grand finale of the CRPF Cup 2023 was played on 31st October at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, concluding a thrilling nine-day-long cricket tournament with an unforgettable closing ceremony at the iconic Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium. The tournament won by MLA Gymkhana Budgam by 26 runs defeated Kashmir Tiger Lal Chowk.
Tajamul Baba’s exceptional all-round performance was the highlight of the match, earning him the Man of the Finals title. His outstanding contributions throughout the tournament also secured him the prestigious Player of the Tournament and Best Batsman of the Tournament accolades. Wasim Raza of Azhar 11 was recognized as the Best Bowler of the Tournament, underlining his remarkable bowling skills.
The CRPF Cup 2023 witnessed incredible live viewership, with over one lakh viewers following the match on Facebook live streaming. Furthermore, an astounding 52,000 spectators stayed updated with the match scores through the CricHero App.
The tournament provided young cricketers with a remarkable opportunity to play on the main ground of the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium. This experience was cherished by all the participants throughout the event.
The CRPF Cup 2023 was brought to a grand conclusion during a spectacular closing ceremony graced by several esteemed dignitaries. The stadium was packed to capacity with enthusiastic spectators who cheered for the teams, adding to the electrifying cricketing atmosphere with exciting commentary and music.
Sh. Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble LG of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir graced the event as Chief Guest. Sh. R. R. Bhatnagar, Advisor to LG, Sh. Junaid Azim Mattu, Mayor Srinagar, Smt. Nuzhat Gul, Secretary, J&K Sports Council, Sh. Majeed Dar, member of the J&K Cricket Association, senior officers from J&K Administration, J&K Police, CAPFs were among the distinguished guests.
Hon’ble LG extended his best wishes to all on the occasion of National Unity Day, celebrated on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He congratulated the winning and runner-up teams and commended their dedication and sportsmanship. He also lauded CRPF for providing a fantastic platform and opportunity for young talent to showcase their skills.
Sh. Ajay Kr. Yadav, IPS, IG Srinagar Sector, delivered the welcome speech and thanked all the dignitaries for their august presence. Sh. Nallin Prabhat, ADG, J&K Zone, CRPF accompanied Hon’ble LG while he presented the trophies and medals to the players.
The CRPF Cup 2023 concluded on a high note, celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship and unity.
Takeaways:
- Over 1 lakh people viewed the final match on 31st Oct on Facebook Live.
- Motto of CRPF Cup 2023 – Say No to Drugs.
- Semi Finals and Finals were live streamed along with commentary on Facebook and Instagram. Over 2.25 lakhs viewed semis and finals on FB Live.
- The first ever edition of CRPF Cup 2023 T20 Challenge witnessed 7 teams from downtown Srinagar, Kashmir University and other teams from Budgam and Ganderbal.
- The goal was to give a platform to the young talented boys from CKR to excel at a bigger platform. Players got tremendous exposure to play matches at Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium which otherwise is not possible. Lot of players expressed happiness that they got opportunity to play at the main cricket stadium after a decade almost.
