AfricaPress-Tanzania: DAR ES SALAAM’s Annadil Burhani cricket oval will tomorrow be a place to go for cricket followers in the region, as the venue will play host to the opening day of this season’s Kazim Nasser Memorial League (KNML) Division A.
Dar es Salaam Cricket (DC) organizes the annual tournament under the auspices of Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) with a view to boosting the game’s promotion in the country.
With so much at stake, DC’s Chairman Azim Thakur said, there will be eight clubs contesting for silverware in groups A and B of the tournament.
Group A has, among others, the tournament’s previous season winners, Aces Cricket Club, Pak Stars, Strikers and Upanga SC.
This looks to be a group of uncertainty as anything is possible for any of the squads, given they are deemed as prominent cricket outfits in Twenty20 competitions domestically.
Group B is made up of Aga Khan SC A, Caravans A, Gymkhana A, and Shree Kutchi Leva Patel Sports Centre (SKLPSC).
This group is equally decent, with Aga Khan SC A and Caravans A being tipped to go through to knockout stage.
It is though said in game of cricket, surprises normally happen on the pitch and all statistics can be changed.
“For that matter we cannot really be extremely sure of what will be the results of the Division A event.
The event will be played in the most strategically situated ground, Annadil Burhani, at Upanga, starting this weekend.
The SKLPSC are set to take on Caravans A tomorrow, with the match being slated to start at 3pm.
Similary, Aces B will be playing K&P Constructions team in a Division B fixture at Leaders Club’s venue.
Thakur said: ”We will also be having some matches at University of Dar es Salaam venue so if one is a cricket lover, we urge him or her to come and relish the game of cricket across the city and see the best of the cricketers in the division put their virtuosity to show.”
On Sunday Division A will see Gymkhana A, confront Aga Khan SC A, who have been bolstered by the arrival of senior cricketers Abhik Patwa and Vishal Patel.
The skilful performers were, before joining Aga Khan SC A, key all-rounders for Gymkhana A.
Gymkhana A will, for that matter, mostly be banking on the side’s up-and-coming cricketers to get good results.
With Patwa and Patel playing for Aga Khan SC A, the Gymkhana A’s young players are expected to capitalize on their knowledge of the two performers’ weaknesses to notch victory over their opponents.
”We moreover have a game in the afternoon pitting a new-look Pak Stars against Upanga SC, which has made a comeback after having been out of action for three years,” the DC official stated.
He noted: ”Upanga SC, a team with one of the best history of cricket domestically, producing some extraordinary talent for the team.”
”We expect a good game of cricket, given Pak Stars have as well roped in some of gifted, young indigenous players, therefore we expect the best games.”
With the new management having assumed power at TCA after having been elected in 2020, already getting down to work, the DC has also got new management this year, with Thakur from Aces Cricket Club being elected the new DC Chairman.
Annadil Burhani Club’s Taher Jeevaji is the DC’s secretary, and Yagnesh Patel assuming the treasurer role.
They may seem new officials at the regional cricket governing body but they are well known leaders in their respective outfits.
With the new committee coming in their basic idea was to keep the DC leagues and any other sponsored tournament as active as ever.
Thakur disclosed in the coming showpiece, the DC, therefore, has started with seeing to it there is a prize for the best player of the match in the Division A matches, courtesy Harab Motors Company.
The Harab Motors Company is a leading car importer in Tanzania and it brings in quality cars from overseas.
The entity has, DC revealed, promised to support cricket in Tanzania this year.
They are also are sponsoring some individual cricketers in the country, so they are becoming a prominent name, when it comes to cricket promotion at the domestic level.
They also sponsor some other cricketing events like the recently conducted TCA T20 Super League.
In this season’s tournament, they are going to sponsor the best player of the match in each of the Division A event’s fixtures.
He added: ”This is the first ever time the DC leagues will be having cash prizes for the events’ winners and losers.”
”Simultaneously we have such other sponsors like Funcity, Swepac and Shamshu Pharamacy, who are going to be the media partners for Division A event.”
”Swepac will be the man of the match’s token sponsors in the competition’s Division B and Division C.”
”It will be the first time in the history of cricket in the country that there will be man of the match set to receive cash prize right up to the final.”
Individual honours will be handed over to the tournament’s best batsman, best bowler and the final’s best player.
Along with the cash prize and trophies, the tournament will be covered by professional photographer Nikhil Pujara, with his work being co-sponsored by Swepac and Shamshu Pharmacy.
Thakur thanked the TCA for doing a great job in the previous season, he added he is as well extremely thankful for the DC’s outgoing leadership that has set the structures so well that it has hardly been difficult for the body’s new management to operate.
He thanked the previous management’s officials who are still helping in guiding and mentoring the DC’s new leaders to be successful.
According to the DC boss, he along with his team assures cricket fans there will be good cricket leagues this season, as far as the DC tournaments are concerned.
He also appreciated the partners and sponsors for helping the DC management to get the required support in an effort to make the tournament look more active and glamorous.
Thakur disclosed he believes that with cash prizes being handed over to the participating squads in Division A, the decision has become a motivational factor for local up-and-coming cricketers to put stellar showing and gain recognition.
The tournament is also backed by Imports International, 3M Pharmacy and Funcity that will present free vouchers to players in divisions B and C events’ knockout stages.
