by Suman Gupta
Mumbai, : Mumbai Police City Riders will clash with Shivaji Park Warriors in the opening match of the Mumbai Cricket Club (MCC) and Jwala Sports Foundation (JSF) organized annual MitsuiShoji T20 Cricket League (Season 9), to be played at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana ground on Monday afternoon.
All teams are eagerly looking forward to participating in Season 9 of this tournament which is being resumed after a hiatus of three years. The MitsuiShoji League was not conducted in the last three years due to the Covid 19 pandemic restrictions and keeping in mind the safety aspects of the young cricketers.
Jwala Singh, founder of the MitsuiShoji Cricket League said, “I am happy to restart this league again as its very close to my heart. When we started this in 2011 there were no T20 cricket tournaments. But now I am happy to see that there are many new leagues coming up which are really good for Mumbai cricket”.
Five teams will be competing for top honours in this event which will be played on a double-leg round-robin league and with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals. Besides Mumbai Police City Riders and Shivaji Park Warriors, the other three challengers include Bandra Heroes, Ghatkopar Jets and Thane Marathas.
The total prize fund for the league is approx Rs 2 lakh, including all individual prizes. Every winner of the ‘Man of the Match’ awards will receive Rs 2500 plus gifts.
In the past accomplished cricketers, including Sri Lankan Chaminda Vaas, and Mumbai top-notch players like Wasim Jaffer, Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dubey, Shams Mulani, Amol Mazumdar, Bhavin Thakker, Vinayak Samant, Vinayak Mane, Arman Jaffer, Hardik Tamore and many established names have been part of the league either as players and/or member of the coaching staff.
The opening ceremony and the first match will be played at the Mumbai Police Gymkhana ground, Marine Drive. Mumbai Police City Riders and Bandra Heroes will clash in the first match. Besides Police Gymkhana ground, matches would also be played at the Oval Maidan and Air India ground, Kalina.
The Grand Finals of the League will be played in presence of legendary fast bowler Chaminda Vaas on 20th May under floodlights at Mumbai Police Gymkhana.
The Mumbai Cricket Club (MCC) along with Jwala Sports Foundation and Mitsui Shoji has always strived hard from the development and promotion of cricket and encouragement of young talented cricketers in the city of Mumbai and the suburban areas of the city. Together the three entities have organized and conducted many cricket activities, including coaching programs, clinics and tournaments, which attracted an overwhelming response from all cricketers.
