Early Times Report
BARAMULLA, Nov 1: In a spirited celebration of communal harmony and sporting excellence, Sankalp Cricket Club Juniors clinched the Diwali Milan Ocne Off Exhibition Trophy with a dramatic 3 run win over Baramulla Academy at the Bipan Rawat Cricket Stadium Baramulla today.
Played in a 14 over red ball format and jointly organised by the Baramulla Cricket Forum (BCF) and Team Sankalp Baramulla, the contest produced end to end excitement.
After losing the toss, Sankalp Juniors were asked to bat and posted a competitive 136 for 7. Baramulla Academy mounted a determined chase but were curtailed at 133, falling agonisingly short when the final over ended with the visitors defending a slender margin.
The match was graced by the MLA Baramulla, Sh. Javid Hassan Baig as chief guest, who presented the winners' trophy alongside former Ranji Trophy cricketer Raja Saleem. Asia Iqbal and Suman Lata attended as guests of honour. Other dignitaries present included Sheikh Mushtaq, former manager of the J&K Sports Council; Ghulam Din Shala, president of the Baramulla Cricket Forum, with the forum's executive body; Zubair Dar, BCF general secretary; and educationist Supinder Kour.
In his address, the MLA lauded the event for reinforcing the Kashmiri Pandit community's rich legacy and stressed the need to preserve Kashmir's composite culture. He highlighted how sporting events like the Diwali Milan match nurture mutual respect, brotherhood and communal solidarity.
Rakesh Pandita, convener of Team Sankalp, delivered the vote of thanks, acknowledging the Baramulla Cricket Forum, the participating teams, organisers and volunteers for their role in staging the successful fixture.
Team Sankalp members Sonu Bhat, Vijay Bhat, Rajinder Pandita, Ashish Koul and Waseem Akram were felicitated with certificates of honour for their participation and support.
Two promising district youngsters, Ansh Pandita and Sheikh Hayan, took on mentoring roles for their respective sides, underscoring the match's emphasis on youth development.
Beyond the narrow margin of victory, the Diwali Milan match underlined a larger message - that cricket can unite communities, and the spirit of harmony unites hearts. |
