600 teams to play ‘Gully Cricket’ in Chandigarh to curb drug addiction
Chandigarh, March 27 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Six hundred teams comprising 7,200 young cricketers aged 14 to 19 will participate in the third edition of the ‘Gully Cricket Tournament 2025’, which will kick off on April 20.
With this massive participation, organisers are aiming to register the event in the Guinness Book of World Records. The UT Cricket Association (UTCA) and Chandigarh Police on Wednesday officially announced the launch of the annual edition that aims to encourage a passion for cricket among the youth of Chandigarh while simultaneously supporting the ‘Nasha Mukta Bharat Abhiyan’ (drug-free India movement) and curbing petty criminal activities.
The tournament will be inaugurated by Gulab Chand Kataria, Chandigarh Administrator and Governor of Punjab.
The matches will be played at 20 venues across the city to ensure convenient access for players. Registration for the tournament is being conducted through all police stations in Chandigarh, with the deadline for team registration on April 7.
The tournament will be held on a knockout basis as each match consists of 10 overs per side, and players will compete with tennis balls to avoid injury.
To further engage the community, intellectuals from across the city will also participate in exhibition matches on weekends during the course of the tournament to promote the spirit of cricket.
Sanjay Tandon, President, UTCA, emphasised that the Gully Cricket Tournament is a unique initiative aimed at tapping the cricketing potential of young people from slums, colonies and sectors.
“UTCA’s goal is not only to provide a platform for these young cricketers but also to mentor and nurture talent, giving them the opportunity to represent Chandigarh at the national level in BCCI tournaments. The UTCA panel of selectors will be closely monitoring the tournament, and the most outstanding players will receive further guidance and support after the event,” he said.
Tandon added that this initiative is an integral part of the Nasha Mukta Bharat Abhiyan with a strong focus on redirecting the youth away from drugs and petty crimes.
Present on the occasion, Inspector General R.K. Singh, Senior Superintendents of Police Kanwardeep Kaur and Geetanjali Khandelwal highlighted the crucial role youth play in shaping society.
Kaur noted that the tournament serves as an excellent opportunity to channel the energy of young people into productive activities like sports, which in turn helps reduce criminal behavior and drug abuse.
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