SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad Nov 6: Former international cricketers Kirti Azad, Arun Lal, Rajesh Chouhan and Surinder Khanna were felicitated for their outstanding contribution to games during the National Master Cricket Tournament for over 60 years of age players which concluded at Jamshedpur Keenan Stadium.
The team 60’s Heroes led by Avinash Kumar won the tournament defeating 60 Royals by 22 runs in the final and clinched the glittering Pankaj Memorial trophy.
Kriti Azad who scored the highest run in the tournament was declared the best batter, Avinash Kumar who annexed the highest wickets got the best bowler award and Vidyadhar Pednekar was awarded as best wicket-keeper. Sanjay Beri was chosen player of the tournament.
Malti Gupta, wife of the late Panna Lal Pankaj, along with her elder son Rajnish Kumar, daughter-in-law Amita Kumari, daughter Rita and Ravi Kant, presented the prizes to the winning team whereas Arun Lal, Rajesh Chauhan, Kirti Azad and Rajesh Chauhan distributed the prizes to players.
All the legendary cricketers had praised Avinash Kumar for the initiative and for the great success of the tournament. Surinder Khanna, Arun Lal and Rajesh Chauhan had assured him to give support.
Besides, former Test players, the members (players) who participated in the first over 60’s Master Cricket Tournament held In Australia in 2022 Dr Aadil Chagla, Ravindra Khadye, Pradeep Godbole, Naresh Shenoy, Raj Gopal Naidu, R. Neelankantan, Padmanabhan, Emmanuel Benjamin and Avinash Kumar were also felicitated.
The organizing committee also felicitated the players of 65 years and above and the core committee members of the Veteran India Cricket Foundation Verinder Bhoombla, Krishnan Subhamanian, Ravi Raman, Sanjiv Seth and Sanjay Ranjan.
Ritesh Kumar, Anubhav Pankaj, Amisha Pankaj, Vasudevan and Dipak Jana were also felicitated for their contribution in providing their services during the tournament.
In the prize distribution ceremony held at United Club, former Bihar Ranji Trophy player Kajal Das, Janki Ram, Satish Singh and other guests Mukul Choudhary, Vivek Prasad, Ulhas Sane, Shahzad Karim, Mahesh Jha, Sudhir Sinha and Kamlendu Mishra were also present.