Faridabad, Haryana March 30, 2015 :: The final match of the 8th Manav Rachna Corporate Cricket Challenge Cup 2015 played today between defending champions Adidas and TCS witnessed sporting spirit in abundance.
The Final match marked the closing ceremony of the 8th Corporate Cricket Challenge Cup in the august presence of Kirti Azad, Member of Parliament, Former Test Cricketer and Member of 1983 World Cup Winning Team; Dr. Prashant Bhalla, President – Manav Rachna Educational Institutions (MREI) and Dr. Amit Bhalla, Vice President – MREI, among many other senior dignitaries. It had brought together a wide spectrum of people including corporates from the 24 participating teams.
The Manav Rachna Corporate Cricket Challenge Cup, now in its 8th year, is a tribute to the memory of Founder Visionary Dr O.P. Bhalla, whose passion for the game of Cricket was well-known. Dr. O P Bhalla believed that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body, infusing the curriculum at Manav Rachna with a sports-centric philosophy.
The finals of the match played in the sprawling green acres of the Manav Rachna International University campus ended months of speculation ever since the tournament’s inauguration on January 10, 2015. The finalists TCS and Adidas, top contenders for the Cup had proved their mettle through a series of highly competitive matches that witnessed as many as 24 teams including Maruti Suzuki, NDTV, RBS, Aajtak, Jagran Group, Honda, JCB, Fortis, Accenture Services, Suzuki Motorcycle, Australian High Commission and Prasar Bharti, among others, battling for the top slot. While Adidas won the toss and elected to fieldfirst, it was TCS which took home the prize.
Addressing the gathering, Member of Parliament and Former Test Cricketer Kirti Azad said, “It gives me immense pleasure to be present here on this momentous occasion. I congratulate the Manav Rachna family for organizing a Cricket Tournament of this magnitude and express my deepest admiration for each and every participant for playing to the best of their ability. I hope this tournament is an inspiration to the youth who are passionate about sports with lessons to take back for a lifetime. I am confident that Manav Rachna will give to the world of sports gold & silver medalists, not just in cricket but also in sports like Shooting.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Prashant Bhallasaid, “The Corporate Cricket Tournament is not just about cricket but about the true spirit of sportsmanship. It is homage to our Founder Father Dr O.P. Bhalla whose vision, in the pursuit of excellence, was to create better human beings. The Tournament is also about the meeting of the Corporate and academia, building relationships that often last a lifetime”.
“Manav Rachna is passionate for such ‘friendly encounters’ and believes in renewal of relationships for eternity. The T20 Corporate Cricket Tournament is an ideal platform for our country’s cricketers to showcase their sporting talent, inculcating among the youth the spirit of fair play”, informed Dr. Amit Bhalla.
Sarkar Talwar, Director Sports, MREI, stated, “The Corporate Cricket Cup will continue to thrive as long as we encourage budding talent and uphold the synergy among players and students. Every year, Manav Rachna hopes to unveil a new challenge where Cricket will always win hands down.”
Results
• Adidas vs TCS
Winning team: TCS
Man of the Match: Sumit from TCS
Best Player of the Tournament: YogeshRana (Adidas)
Best Batsman of the Tournament: Sumit (TCS)
Best Bowler of the Tournament: Vikas (Manav Rachna Educational Institutions)
Best Fielder of the Tournament: Himanshu (TCS)
Fairplay trophy: Suzuki Motorcycles
TCS scored 258 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs.
Adidas scored 176 runs in 16.3 overs (all out)
Content & Photograph by Naresh Narula, Faridabad.
