Poonch beat Sunderbani to clinch Champions trophy

Nowshera, Dec 22: Poonch team Sunday defeated Sunderbani to clinch the “Brigadier Usman SPPR inter-district and tehsil cricket tournament-2024”, organised under the aegis of White Knight Corps.

The electrifying finale between Sunderbani and Poonch proved to be a spectacle of skill and determination. Poonch emerged victorious, clinching the championship trophy and a cash prize of Rs 4 lakh. The runners-up, Sunderbani, were awarded Rs 2 lakh. Mehboob Sheikh of Sunderbani was declared ‘Man of the Match’ for his exceptional all-round performance.

Following Poonch’s win, the tournament concluded with a grand closing ceremony at the Brigadier Usman Cricket Stadium, Nowshera. The ceremony was presided over by the GOC, Ace of Spade Division, as the chief guest.

“Commander Tithwal Brigade, Commander Nowshera Brigade, DC Rajouri and other prominent local leaders too attended the event celebrating the tournament's success in fostering sportsmanship and unity while showcasing the immense cricketing talent of the region,” PRO Defence Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said.

Earlier, Sunderbani won the toss and opted to bat, posting an impressive total of 138 runs in 20 overs. Poonch, despite the competitive total chased down the total in 16.3 overs at the loss of 7 wickets. Mehrab Mir shone as the top scorer for Sunderbani with 92 runs, while Mehboob Sheikh of Poonch showcased remarkable effort taking 2 wickets and scoring 35 crucial runs for Poonch enabling them to clinch the championship.

During the post-final event, outstanding individual performances were honoured by the dignitaries. “Player of the Series” Bilal Ahmed was awarded a motorcycle.

“Best Batsman” Bilal Ahmed was awarded Rs 25,000; “Best Bowler”, Md Arif was also awarded Rs 25,000 while “Man of the Match”, Mehboob Sheikh was awarded Rs 15,000.

“This inaugural edition of the “Brigadier Usman SPPR inter-district and tehsil cricket tournament” was a landmark event, bringing together eight district and tehsil teams from Udhampur, Akhnoor, Sunderbani, Reasi, Nowshera, Rajouri, Poonch and Doda. Conducted on a league-cum-knockout basis, the tournament boasted the largest prize pool in the region, totaling Rs 20 lakh,” Lt Col Bartwal said.

“The tournament achieved remarkable success, with live-streamed matches reaching over 50 lakh viewers across various electronic platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Print media coverage extended to 2 lakh readers through 15 regional and national newspapers,” he said.

“This tournament underscored the Indian Army's commitment to uplifting remote border areas by promoting local talent, fostering unity and encouraging a vibrant sporting culture. Its success has set the stage for its establishment as an annual sporting tradition,” Lt Col Bartwal said.