Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Promising junior state player, 17 year old Aryan Mashelkar was picked by Team Dempo Challengers while State player Manish Pai Kakode the 18 year old was successfully bought by LPK 11 following a fierce round of bidding between LPK 11 and Dempo Challengers.
The one-of-a-kind T-20 cricket tournament is scheduled to kick-off in January 2022.
Panjim, Dec 2021: The Panjim Gymkhana Members League auction, the first ever auction of cricket players in Goa, saw the five teams – Baale Tigers, Dempo Challengers, Manas Mavericks, LPK 11 and Prescon Panthers – battle it out for 109 of the state’s cricket players.
Joseph Rodrigues began the auctioneer proceedings by making clear the rules of the process. What followed next was a test of business skills and a fight between the teams to pick the players of their choice.
Promising junior state player, 17 year old Aryan Mashelkar was picked by Team Dempo Challengers.
Cricketer Mukhtar Kadri bagged the highest bid offer of 45 lakh points. He will be playing for Dempo Challengers. Player Devidas Kholkar came second with a bid offer of 42.4 lakh points and went to LPK 11. Player Dattesh Priolkar came a close third with an offer of 42.2 lakh points made by Manas Mavericks. State player Manish Pai Kakode the 18 year old had the fourth highest bid with 40.25 lakh points and was successfully bought by LPK 11 following a fierce round of bidding between LPK 11 and Dempo Challengers.
The team jerseys were unveiled at the auction by the team owners – Ashwin Chandiok Team Owner Baale Tigers; Tanmay Kholkar Team Owner Manas Mavericks; Nandan Kudchadkar Team Owner LPK 11; Vinay Kedia Team Owner Prescon Panthers and Shrinivas V. Dempo Team Owner Dempo Challengers – in the presence of Shekhar Sardessai, MD, Kineco who are the league sponsors and council of Panjim Gymkhana.
This is one of the first attempts to form a T-20 league exclusively. The auction which was the first of its kind to be conducted in the state witnessed the five teams battle it out to select from among the best players up for auction. The stage is now set for the league which will kick off in Jan 2022 and bring together cricket fans and supporters to come and witness the teams in action at the prestigious Panjim Gymkhana cricket ground in Panjim,” honorary secretary of the Panjim Gymkhana, Rajesh Khaunte said.
The much anticipated cricket league is scheduled to kick-off in the second week of January 2022, where the five teams will battle for supremacy in the league, which will be played in a round robin format.
The inaugural game of the tournament will be played on 8th January, 2022.
Located along the picturesque Mandovi River, the Panjim Gymkhana, established in 1963, has been recognized as one of the oldest and premier sports clubs and is considered as the nursery of cricket in Goa.