The Chandra Shekhar Azad T20 Tournament Kicked off with a Grand Opening

By 121 News

Chandigarh, Feb.06, 2025:– The first-ever franchise-based cricket tournament in Chandigarh, the Chandra Shekhar Azad T20 Tournament, organized by the UT Cricket Association (UTCA) commenced on Thursday with a spectacular opening ceremony at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Sector 3. The event was graced by distinguished guests, franchise owners, team players, cricket academies, and enthusiastic sports fans. The chief guests included Rajiv Verma (IAS), Chief Secretary of UT Administration, and Harpreet Kaur Babla, Mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, Prerna Puri (IAS), Secretary, Sports, UT and Saurabh Arora, Director, Sports, Vinay Partap Singh, Excise & Taxation Commissioner, Haryana along with UTCA President Sanjay Tandon and Tournament Executive Chairman Dr. Rupesh Singh.

Expressing his delight over Chandigarh's first-of-its-kind tournament, Rajiv Verma remarked that this is not just a cricket event but a celebration of sportsmanship, teamwork, and unity, which will inspire young cricketers in the tricity. Harpreet Kaur emphasized that the tournament beautifully brings together cricket, culture, and community, making UTCA's efforts highly commendable.

On this occasion, Sanjay Tandon stated that this franchise-based tournament is a pilot run, and upon its success, it will be further strengthened in the upcoming domestic season with a players auction process. He also highlighted UTCA's commitment to grassroots cricket, ensuring the continuity of street cricket traditions and working toward opportunities for women cricketers. Dr. Rupesh Kumar expressed confidence in the event's success, stating that the extensive participation of franchises and players will make the tournament a grand success.

The matches will begin on February 7, with the final set for February 23. A total of 33 matches will be played, and entry to all matches is free, with live telecasts available on FanCode.

The event was also attended by UTCA General Secretary Devendra Sharma, Executive Committee members CA Alok Krishna, Yuvraj Mahajan, Ravinder Singh, Hari Singh Khurana, and Daniel Banerjee, along with Rikrit Sarai, Managing Director of Satluj Group of Schools, and Dr. Anshu Kataria, Managing Director of Aryans Group of Colleges among other dignitaries.