THE TOURNAMENT WILL STRENGTHEN NASHA MUKTA BHARAT ABHIYAN AS WELL EMPOWER TEAM’S BENCH STRENGTH , : SANJAY TANDON, PRESIDENT, UTCA,  AS MANY AS 3456 YOUNG CRICKETERS REPRESENTING 288 TEAMS TO EXHIBIT THEIR SPORTING TALENT,  YOUTH WILL GET A NEW PATH TO CAREER, HELPS TO CURB PETTY CRIMES: SSP CHANDIGARH POICE 

Sargun-Saroj/Chandigarh

UT Cricket Association (UTCA) and Chandigarh Police has announced the second edition of the ‘Allengers Gully Cricket Tournament 2024' in aligned with encouraging cricketing passion amongst the youth and to keep them away from drugs and petty criminal activities. A total of 288 teams (Boys - 256 teams & Girls - 32 teams) are participating in this tournament which will kick off from July 26.

The registration of these teams has been done through all the 16 police stations of Chandigarh Police across the city till July 22. Around 3456 young talents of the city between the age group of 14 to 18 years are participating in this tournament which is well supported by the Municipal Corporation, Social Welfare Department and Sports Department and DPI (Schools) of Chandigarh Administration The organizers will be registering this tournament in the Asia Book of World Records with this massive participation.

UT Administrator and the Governor of Punjab, Sh. Banwari Lal Purohit along with DGP Surinder Singh Yadav and Advior to Administrator Rajeev Verma will be inaugurating the tournament at Cricket Stadium, Sector 16. Sh. Mansukh Mandvia, Honourable Sports Minister will grace the occasion during the closing ceremony. The other sponsors of this edition of the tournament are Allengers, Tynor, HBL Group and Manohar Infrastructure.

While addressing a press conference organized at Chandigarh Press Club, UTCA’s President Sanjay Tandon on elaborating the tournament said that this unique initiative is aiming for youth hailing from slums, colonies and sectors for tapping their cricketing talent. UTCA will also be eyeing to groom such talents so that they can represent Chandigarh in BCCI national level tournaments.

Sanjay Tandon informed that the entire UTCA panel of selectors will vigil every match and mentor the outstanding players after the tournament. He said that this initiative has been taken under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan wherein UTCA and Chandigarh Police along with UT Administration will try to provide youth a new direction through those who are on the verge of the clutches of drugs. Last year witnessed the participation of a total 206 teams (Boys - 204 teams & Girls - 4 teams)

He informed that this tournament has been made an annual event and cricket uniform are being gifted to these budding players to keep them connected with cricket. Last edition, the players were empowered with free kits include T-shirts, caps, lowers, cricket bats, shoes, bails, balls so that they can continue their practice even after the tournament. The tournament will be played at nine venues across the city which includes Police Lines, Sector 26, GMSS-8, GHS-19, GMSSS-23, GMSSS-27, GMSSS-35, GMSSS-37, GMSSS-32 and GMSSS-40. The tournament will be played on knock out basis with ten-ten overs-a-side.

The online scoring would be available at UTCA’s website and App throughout the tournament. The veteran test cricketers Kapil Dev, Chetan Sharma and Ashok Malhotra will also be joining the tournament to encourage the players.

Present on the occasion, Kanwardeep Kaur, SSP, Chandigarh Police said that youth have been playing an important role to bring a change in the society, therefore Chandigarh Police has also targeted the youth to cash on their sporting skills. He affirmed that the initiative will surely help in curbing petty criminal activities in the city.

To avoid any form of injury, the match will be played with a tennis ball. Man of the match will be declared in every match. The tournament champions from each categories will be awarded with cash prizes.

Suresh Sharma, Chairman, Rishab Sharma and Karan Sharma, Directors, RS Kanwar, Managing Director, Allengers, Pushvinder Jit Singh, Chairman, Tynor, Pardeep Bansal, Director, HLB Group, Anoop Gupta, Former Mayor, Tournament’s core committee members Devender Sharma (Secretary), Alok Krishan, Yuvraj Mahajan, Ravindra Singh Billa, Daniel Banerjee, Rupesh K Singh, Sudeep Rawat along with senior officers of Chandigarh Police were also present in the press conference along with senior officers of Chandigarh Police.

To promote the spirit of cricket, all the intellectual sections of the city will also strengthen the ‘Gully Cricket Tournament’ through exhibition matches. Teams from Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speakers, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speakers, Punjab & Haryana High Court Judges, Bar Council, Chandigarh Administration, Press Club, PGI, PU, IMA, IRS Officers, PHD Chambers, CII, CAs, Chandigarh Police and UTCA will play friendly matches on weekends during the course of the tournament at PCA, Mohali and Tau Dev Lal, Stadium, Mohali.

Suresh Sharma, Chairman, Rishab Sharma and Karan Sharma, Directors, RS Kanwar, Managing Director, Allengers, Pushvinder Jit Singh, Chairman, Tynor, Pardeep Bansal, Director, HLB Group, Anoop Gupta, Former Mayor, Tournament’s core committee members Devender Sharma (Secretary), Alok Krishan, Yuvraj Mahajan, Ravindra Singh Billa, Daniel Banerjee, Rupesh K Singh, Sudeep Rawat along with senior officers of Chandigarh Police were also present in the press conference along with senior officers of Chandigarh Police.