Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The much-anticipated Ultimate Badminton League (UBL) Edition 5.0 is set to enthrall badminton enthusiasts on January 25 and 26, 2025, at the Badminton Hall, Peddem, Mapusa. Organized by the Goa Sports Club and Chicalim Badminton Club under the aegis of the Goa Badminton Association (GBA), this premier championship has grown to become Goa’s biggest team badminton event.
Six teams will compete fiercely for prestigious trophies and a total prize purse of ₹4,77,000. The tournament kicks off with its inauguration on January 25 at 9:30 AM, and the much-awaited finals will be held on January 26 at 5:00 PM.
The excitement began with player auctions held at a city hotel in Vasco, where 212 players, including Goa’s top-ranked stars and several outstation talents, registered for the event. After intense bidding, 162 players were selected to represent the six teams. The auction also featured the unveiling of the official team jerseys, adding to the excitement and anticipation of the league.
Praveen Shenoy, Organizing President and Secretary of the GBA, shared his vision:
“The Ultimate Badminton League is a platform to unite rural, urban, ranked, and non-ranked players in a highly professional and competitive environment. Over the years, this championship has evolved into a marquee event for badminton in Goa, showcasing exceptional talent and fostering the spirit of sportsmanship.”
Following are the Teams and Key Players
Sparkling Stars (Team Owner: Yogiraj Kamat, Captain: Vishal Vernekar, Vice Captain: Divyesh Shirsat, Icon Player: Rahul Deswal)
Ace Raqueteers (Team Owner: Vikas Nanu, Captain: Bhushan Vernekar, Vice Captain: Mohammad Nadaf, Icon Player: Floyd Araujo)
Asher’s Smashers (Team Owner: Vrushali Cardozo, Captain: Kamlesh Kanji, Vice Captain: Krishnaraj Gauns, Icon Player: Ayaan Shaikh)
Badminators (Team Owner: Nikhil Prabhu Moye, Captain: Amit Kakkar, Vice Captain: Chinmay Kamat, Icon Player: Aryaman Saraf)
Priority Titans (Team Owner: Dinesh Pai, Captain: Sebastian Ferrao, Vice Captain: Aditya Dessai, Icon Player: Navneet Nasnodkar)
Flying Gravity (Team Owners: Kishor Bandekar and Jairam Kholkar, Captain: Darwin Barreto, Vice Captain: Manish Pankhania, Icon Player: Sanath Kamat)
Praveen Shenoy, Aniket Redkar, Wilfred Fernandes, Viveknath Gawas, Fredrick Fernandes, and Sudhir Dessai are the core members of the UBL Organising committee. With its unique format, UBL 5.0 promises two days of thrilling matches and camaraderie.
