Michael Hussey & Stephen Fleming encourage young talent at Pavit Singh Nayar Memorial T20 Cricket Tournament
The 10th edition of Pavit Singh Nayar Memorial T20 All India Inter Collegiate Cricket Tournament for Men and Women, a leading intercollegiate tournament in India, concluded at the cricket grounds of hosts, Guru Nanak College, Chennai with participation of 26 teams from all over India.
In a press statement the college says that it the tournament stands as a beacon for cricket enthusiasts across India. The organisers say the Pavit Singh Nayar Memorial T20 Cricket Tournament was inaugurated on March 18 by former Australian Cricketer and CSK Batting Coach Michael Hussey.
“It is great to see the growing talents. The game is played to enjoy but the most important thing is to develop relationships and mutual respect. The college period is the best time to balance academics, sports and fun. The game should be approached with the spirit of fun and camaraderie; winning and losing are merely facets of the experience,” Hussey said while inaugurating the tournament.
“Winning tournaments is not easy, we have been lucky to have won five IPL and two Champions Leagues,” he added, referring to his IPL team, Chennai Super Kings.
The tournament witnessed the participation of 26 teams from across the nation, including 16 men’s and 10 women’s teams. The matches were hosted across five venues, including the college.
Former New Zealand cricket team captain and currently Head Coach of CSK Stephen Fleming was the Chief Guest on the concluding day. In his address, Fleming expressed his delight upon learning the participation number of the tournament, particularly highlighting the participation of the women’s team. Speaking about the growing involvement of women in sports in India, he emphasised the pivotal role of events like WPL in paving the way for many women to follow their passion.
The statement adds that the winning teams were awarded INR 50,000, with the runners-up receiving INR 25,000. The finalists were granted INR 5,000 cash prizes and mementos for other categories such as Best Batter, Best Bowler, Best All-Rounder, Best Fielder, Best Wicket Keeper, and Best Cricketer of the tournament. The Men’s Player of the Series bagged a Hero Motorcycle, valued at over INR 1,20,000, while the Women’s Player of the Series received a Hero scooter worth about INR 93,500.
Fleming also gave away prizes to the winners of the tournament, Ethiraj College for Women and Guru Nanak College for Men. Team. Each player received cash prizes, with a total of INR 250,000, along with trophies and certificates
Fleming commended the winners for their dedication throughout the week, urging them to reflect on setbacks while celebrating their achievements. He also underscored the significance of acknowledging the sponsors and organisers for their invaluable efforts in promoting the game of cricket.
“Hero Motocorp and GNC have gone a long way to bring out talents in Cricket and this ground has produced many. In any sports event GNC has bagged either winner or runner prises many times at National and international arena,” Manjit Singh Nayar General Secretary and Correspondent of the college, said on the occasion.
The tournament was sponsored by Southern Motorcycles, Hero Motocorp, and Lifestyle and was also attended by Kasi Viswanathan, CEO, CSK, M Thiyagarajan of Hero MotoCorp, along with the members of the governing council.