Mumbai, Jan 22 (IANS) Defending champions Shardashram Vidyamandir made a winning start as Mumbai Indians launched the fifth edition of MI Junior, its inter-school cricket tournament, on Wednesday in their home city under their Education and Sports for All (ESA) initiative. The tournament is being organised in association with the Mumbai Cricket Association and the Vidarbha Cricket Association, with the Nagpur leg scheduled to start next week.
On the opening day of action, Shardashram Vidyamandir triumphed over Sister Nivedita in the U-15 Girls’ category. Shardashram Vidyamandir (Dadar) showcased a commanding performance to defeat Sister Nivedita School (Dombivli) at the Matunga Gymkhana Ground. Chasing a target of 81 runs, Shardashram achieved victory in just 8 overs.
Vaidai Tanavade was the standout batter, scoring a brisk 38 laced with seven boundaries. Kartika Poojary delivered a stellar all-round performance, contributing 20 runs and multiple wickets. Earlier, Sister Nivedita struggled with the bat, managing just 80 runs. Swara Surve top-scored for the Dombivli side with a fighting 28.
MI Junior’s previous seasons have played an integral role in providing quality competition at iconic venues to Maharashtra’s budding cricketers in the cities of Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.
The tournament will feature participation from boys and girls across the Boys U14, Girls U15, and Boys U16 categories. The opening ceremony took place at the Matunga Gymkhana on Wednesday in the presence of officials from the Mumbai Cricket Association.
Among the key highlights and new additions for this edition is the ‘MI Junior Rising Stars’ phase, which will follow the regular competition stage. After the regular season concludes, the best talent from both the boys’ categories and the girls’ category will participate in the MI Junior Rising Stars phase. The second phase of the competition will feature four teams in the boys’ category and 2 teams in the girls’ category, which will be formed based on the performances of players in the MI Junior 2025 season.
Like every year, winners of the tournament will get an opportunity to participate in a training session designed to provide exposure, hone skills, and prepare them for the next level of their cricketing journey with Mumbai Indians support staff. MI Junior is one of the many initiatives undertaken by Reliance Foundation (CSR arm of RIL) for grassroots development under the Education and Sports for All (ESA) initiative, which aims to create opportunities and inspire the youth through sports and education.
–IANS
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