Nishar Mohammed & Vikramaditya
Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 18: The Councillor of Ward No. 6, Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council (SVPMC), Mr. Aziz Ur Rehman, addressed the media today to announce that a team from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands has been selected to participate in the Indian Softball Cricket League (ISCL), scheduled to begin on 1st December in Chikkanahalli, Bengaluru.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Aziz Ur Rehman informed that 32 teams from across India have been selected for the league, and among them is one team representing the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The island team, led by Captain G. Jayaram and Vice-Captain Sundar Pandey, will depart on 4th December, with their first match scheduled for 5th December.
Rehman praised the initiative of ISCL’s Founder President Mr. Gangadhar Raju of Karnataka, noting that the league would give recognition to thousands of talented youngsters who play softball cricket in streets and small grounds but rarely get opportunities on larger platforms.
He also urged the youth of Andaman to watch the live telecast of the matches on DD Sports and YouTube, stating, “I want every youngster of the islands to support the team online, cheer for them, and encourage them with comments and likes.”
Players expressed gratitude to Mr. Aziz Ur Rehman for arranging a practice ground at short notice. With local grounds unavailable initially, the team received immediate support when Mr. Aziz Ur Rehman facilitated practice space at Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1.
He further revealed that the ISCL selection process was transparent and competitive. Nearly 80 youths from the islands applied online for the ISCL trials, and each shortlisted participant was given 121 balls to showcase their performance before final selections were made for batsmen and bowlers.
Towards the end of the conference, Mr. Aziz Ur Rehman announced another upcoming sporting event. Under the banner of the Atal Foundation, a Volleyball Tournament will be organised in December. The final will be held on 25th December, marking the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He added that 40 to 50 teams, both boys and girls, are expected to participate.
