Parsee Gymkhana Celebrates Sportsmanship

The way a team plays as a unit determines its success. Team Parsee Gymkhana played exceptional cricket throughout the season and were rewarded for their efforts. Parsi Times Sports Reporter and an avid cricket enthusiast, Binaisha M. Surti shares exciting coverage of the event, which she was invited to also compère, in her professional capacity as a Sports-Media Specialist.

Parsee Gymkhana (PG) held their ‘Annual Cricket Function’ on 20th May, 2016. The event was organized by its dynamic Vice-President and Cricket Secretary, Khodadad Yazdegardi. The function was compèred by Sports-Media Specialist for Parsi Times, Binaisha M. Surti, with dignitaries on the dais including Chief Guest Dr. Vijay Patil (a connoisseur in the field of sports, education and entrepreneurship), Guests of Honour – Nari Contractor (ex-Indian captain), Farokh Engineer (ex-Indian cricketer), Rusi Cooper (ex-cricketer), Dr. Unmesh Khanvilkar (Jt. Honorary Secretary, MCA), Nitin Dala (Honorary Treasurer, MCA), Firoze Katrak (Vice-President Parsee Gymkhana) and Minoo Sarkari (Honorary Treasurer, Parsee Gymkhana).

Minoo Sarkari initiated the event with a short speech along with Firoze Katrak, offering flowers to the dignitaries. All guests on the dais spoke words of praise for the efforts of Team PG. The grand occasion was also graced by several eminent personalities of the cricketing fraternity including Piloo Reporter, Dara Dotiwalla, Diana Edulji, Milind Rege, Abby Kuruvilla, Karsan Ghavri, Chandrakant Pandit, Omkar Salvi, Nadim Memon; MCA Committee Members – Arman Mallick, Navin Shetty, Srikant Tigdi, Arvind Kadam, Deepak Patil, Shah Alam Sheikh, Ganesh Iyer, Justice Govind Sanap, Vilas Godbole, Ashish Sanghvi, Aditya Birla Group, Retired ACP- Iqbal Sheikh, Hoshang Dadachandji, Darius Darabi, Fali Dhalla, Homi Mehta amongst numerous other representatives of other Clubs and Gymkhanas.

Every year PG sets a goal as a team, and this season the results outdid their own benchmark! PG ended the Kanga League 2015-16 season standing 4th in the ‘A’ Division. They entered the Purshottam Shield as maiden entry in its 100th year. PG also won the RFS Talyarkhan Shield for the 3rd consecutive time, beating Bombay Gymkhana.

The prize distribution ceremony kicked off with the entire PG Team – Aditya Dhumal, Akarshit Gomel, Ankit Revandkar, Aavishkar Salvi, Bhavin Thakkar, Balwinder Singh Sandhu (Jr), Bravish Shetty, Manish Rao, Mayur Sanap, Sushant Marathe, Vikas Singh, Ajinkya Patil, Akash Iyer and Captain Raunaq Sharma – were presented awards by Nari Contractor, Farokh Engineer and Dr. Vijay Patil. The support staff comprising Harshil Patel (scorer), Dr. Anuradha Rakhonde (physiotherapist) and Vinayak Mane (coach) was also awarded by Rusi Cooper.

Next, Dr. Vijay Patil presented the individual awards for the Talyarkhan Cup. Ankit Revandkar and Mayur Sanap were awarded ‘Best Fielders of the Tournament’, and Bravish Shetty won the ‘Best Batsman’ award for his total of 119 runs, highest score of 84 runs with an average of 39.66. ‘Best Bowler’ went to Balwinder Singh Sandhu (Jr) who scalped 8 wickets, with an economy of 4.90 and an average of 6.75. Finally, the ‘Man of the Tournament’ was given to Sushant Marathe who scored 110 runs, with the highest score of 62*, averaging 110 with 7 catches, 1 stumping and 2 ‘Man of the Match’ Awards.

PG thanked cricketers Aditya Tare, Surya Kumar Yadav, Ian Dev Chauhan and Sanket Chauhan for all their brilliant efforts in helping the team win accolades. Concluding the eve, Khodadad Yazdegardi and Binaisha M. Surti gave the vote of thanks, which was followed by cocktails and dinner.