- Tournament launching ceremony tomorrow
- Dream India, Mumtaz and Al-Wafaq main sponsors
Aijaz Ahmed Khan
JEDDAH — A total of 50 clubs will kick off Asaduddin Owaisi Cup cricket tournament in Jeddah on Jan 1, 2016.
The tournament, to be played on a league-cum-knockout basis is being organized by Jeddah Premier League (JPL) under the umbrella of Jeddah Cricket Association (JCA).
Dream India Group, a renowned real estate development company from Hyderabad, India, Mumtaz Group of Company’s Mumtaz Sports Academy and Al-Wafaq Al-Shaheqa Group for plumbing materials are the main sponsors, while Hala Cricket Academy, B-Cola, Halwani Brothers, Khind Electronics and Kako are the co-sponsors of the event.
The JPL recently agreed to work under the patronage of JCA. JPL-JCA will organize cricket events all year round to give Jeddah-based players an opportunity to enjoy hard tennis ball cricket.
A cup launching ceremony for the Asaduddin Owaisi Cup will be held at Hala Cricket Academy Jeddah Friday night. Ahmeduddin Owaisi, president of Bazm-E-Ittehad, will be the chief guest, while Khaled Almaeena, editor-at-large of the Saudi Gazette, Abdul Aziz of Etemaad, an Urdu daily from Hyderabad; Sameer Nidal Khan, director of JCA; and Ibrahim Al-Othaibi will be guests of honor.
This tournament will continue for 12 weeks wherein 132 matches will be played. The participating 50 clubs are: ALJ — Abdul Latif Jameel, Arabian XI Cricket Club, Al-Amri Cricketers, ATS - Arabian Trading Company, Azizia Deccan, Azizia Deccan Avengers, Azizia Deccan Royals, Azizia XI, Barkatiya XI Cricket Club, Challengers Cricket Club, Deccan Youth, Deccan Youth Rangers, Eleven Brothers Cricket Club, Etihad Jeddah Cricket Club, Elite Cricket Club, Empower Contracting, Friends Cricket Team, Jeddah Gladiators, Coastal Gladiators, Gulf West Cricket Club Jed, Gulbarga Cricket Team, Halwani Bros Cricket Team, Hyderabad Royals, Independence Cricket Club, IOE Cricketers, Jeddah XI, Jeddah Jaguars, Jeddah Tigers, Jeddah Strikers, Jeddah Strikers XI, Johnson Control International, Jeddah Warriors Cricket Club, Kingdom Cricket Club, Khind Electronics, Kings XI Hyderabad, Kingdom Sports Academy Blue, Kingdom Sports Academy Green, Lothers, Mahjar Heroes Cricket Club, MIM Brigade, Nazar Guys Cricketers, Rajasthan Royals, Reliance Cricketers Jeddah, Salama Falcons Cricket Club, Super Chargers, Super Star Cricket Club, Prime XI, Telangana Warriors, Warangal Cricket Club and Yorkshire Cricket Club.
Hard tennis ball cricket is different from softball and tape ball events. This is the ninth season JPL is kicking off on 10 grounds in Sulaimania District.
The JPL committee is headed by Syed Hashmath Ullah Husseini, president; with Syed Mukkaram Nazeer, vice president; Mir Meraj Ali, general secretary; Mohammad Amer, executive sectary; Shaik Aslam Khan, Rahmath Husseini, events coordinator; and Syed Ehsan, treasurer. There are more than 25 executive committee members and 25 officials — umpires and scorers — working under the patronage of JCA, led by its CEO Muhammad Iqbal, President Aijaz Ahmed Khan and three members representing its committee comprising Mirza Qudrath Nawaz Baig, Syed Azeez and Mohammad Abdul Jabbar.
Official sponsors were represented by Syed Rafi Ishaq, Syed Sameer of Dream India Group, Mohammad Rafeeq of Mumtaz Sports Academy and Syed Moazam Ali of Al-Wafaq Al-Shaheqa Group.
