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Cricket has been gaining significant ground in America thanks to the efforts of the Indian diaspora, whose love for the game knows no bounds. With the number of NRIs increasing in the land of opportunities, the cherry and willow game, especially the limited versions, have become quite a big hit.
There was a three-day cricket carnival in Canton of Detroit, Michigan, last week at which the Indian diaspora exhibited their skills. The second edition of the GTA-100 cricket championship showcased all the thrills and frills of the game but the final stole the thunder.
Mirchi Masters pulled off a massive upset by overcoming Warangal Wildfires by four wickets with five balls remaining at the Canton Heritage Park on Sunday.
Fancied Warangal Wildfires, who chose to make first use of the wicket, were, to their misfortune, restricted to 96 for 9 wickets in their allotted 100 deliveries. Sowmith Nimma was the top scorer with a rapid 32 runs off just 17 balls. His knock contained three sixes and two boundaries. Other notable contributions came from Mohammed Omer Khan, who scored 22 off 25 balls, and Naveen Bichal who made 17 off 20 balls.
Spinner Manoj Narreddula did the star turn for Mirchi Masters by capturing 3 wickets for 32 runs off 18 balls. The effort helped him in securing the tournament’s best bowler accolade with a total of 9 wickets across four matches. Captain Mohan Rangaraj and Suman Gaddam also made significant contributions with the ball, taking 2 for 10 and 2 for 23, respectively.
In response, the Mirchi Masters successfully chased down the target, finishing their innings at 97 for 6 in 95 balls. The standout performer was Suman Gaddam, who remained unbeaten on 28 runs off 19 deliveries. He was supported by Vinod Rathod (22 off 18 balls) and Suman Reddy Gudupaty, who scored an unbeaten 18 off 19 balls. Masters were helped in their cause by the 11 extras conceded by their rivals.
The title win was worth $1200 in cash for the Mirchi Masters, while Warangal Wildfires received $800.
The final was graced by Telugu actor and producer Lohit Kumar Akavaram, co-founder of the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL), and former Indian international volleyball player and SAF Games gold medallist, Manoj Reddy Chamakura.
The event, organized by the Global Telangana Association (Detroit Chapter), a not-for-profit Telangana Cultural organization, featured over 120 players segmented into 10 teams based on their performance metrics.
Sponsorship for the event came from various entities, including Hari Kakumanu Realty, Somireddy Law Group, Softcorp International, Manzil Designs, and Delight Consulting Services, alongside support from small and medium businesses throughout the metro Detroit area.
Various committees, under the stewardship of GTA-USA president Praveen Kesireddy, worked for the success of the tournament.
Brief scores: Warangal Wildfires 96/9 in 100 balls (Sowmith Nimma 32, Naveen Bichal 17, Mohd Omer Khan 22, Manoj Narreddula 3/32, Mohan Rangaraj 2/10, Suman Gaddam 2/23) lost to Mirchi Masters 97/6 in 95 balls (Suman Gaddam 28 n.o, Vinod Rathod 22, Suman Gudupaty 18 n.o). Man of the Match: Suman Reddy Gaddam. Best Bowler: Manoj Narreddula (9 wickets in 4 matches). Best Batter & MVP: Sowmith Nimma (155 runs in 5 innings).
Good story