Tourney to honour Ranji ex-player Rama Mishra

Kanpur: Kanpur UP Veterans Cricket Association (UPVCA) will organise a challenger trophy cricket tournament commemorating former Ranji Trophy player and UPCA selection committee chairman Late Rama Mishra, on April 12 and 13. Four teams, formulated based on players' performances in the recently concluded Dr Gaur Hari Singhania league, shall participate in the Mishra Challenger Trophy tournament. The four teams are UP East (coach Shashikant Khandekar), UP West (Coach Rahul Sapru), UP North (coach Pradeep Salwan), and UP South (coach Vivek John), according to Indra Mohan Rohatgi, president UPVCA.Former test cricketer Gopal Sharma, who is also a member of UP Veteran Cricket Association, has selected the players and assembled four teams of equivalent calibre. Numerous former Ranji Trophy players shall showcase their cricketing prowess during the two-day Challenger Trophy, he added. Girish Kapoor, secretary UPVCA, while addressing media persons, announced that two semi-finals will be played at DAV college ground on April 12. Each match shall comprise 20 overs per innings. The final will be played under floodlights at TSH ground on Sunday from 4 pm.He disclosed that UPVCA shall honour Sunil Chaturvedi, former UP Ranji trophy captain and current BCCI match referee. Jitendra Pratap Singh, district magistrate, will be the chief guest at the final. During the press meet, Vikas Mishra, son of late Rama Mishra, was present and spoke about his father's contributions to UP cricket during his prime years and thereafter. Vikas is a renowned golfer of the city.