Hurricanes fall short as Royal Goodwill wins Khyber RPL Trophy

Srinagar, Oct 23: Royal Goodwill Cricket Club emerged victorious in the inaugural Khyber Red Premier League (RPL) 2024 final, defeating Hamdan Hurricanes by 47 runs at Srinagar's Bakshi Stadium. The match marked the culmination of Kashmir's largest cricket tournament to date.

Royal Goodwill CC posted 144/9 in their allotted 20 overs before their bowlers dominated the proceedings, dismissing Hamdan Hurricanes for 97. The comprehensive victory highlighted Royal Goodwill's all-round superiority throughout the tournament.

Ishtiyak Rasool was named Player of the Tournament for his outstanding performance, scoring 300 runs at a strike rate of 150 while claiming 14 wickets. Hilal Ahmad topped the run charts with 317 runs, maintaining an average of 63 and a strike rate of 207. Wasim Raza led the bowling department with 15 wickets at an economy rate of 4.77.

The month-long tournament set new benchmarks for cricket in Jammu and Kashmir, featuring over 240 players, including several Ranji Trophy and IPL professionals. The event garnered unprecedented attention, reaching more than 40 million viewers across social media platforms.

The final was attended by several dignitaries. Satish Sharma, Minister of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, served as Guest of Honor. Also present were Sarmad Hafeez, Administrative Secretary Youth Services and Sports, and Nuzhat Gull, Secretary of J&K Sports Council.