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Friendship Cup Season 10 highlights the spirit of Kerala’s cricketing community

The Kerala Overseas Cricketers (KOC) and Kerala Veterans Cricketers (KVC) recently hosted the 10 season of the prestigious Friendship Cup at the SAG grounds in Chicalim, Goa, celebrating a decade of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Established in 2013, the Friendship Cup provides a unique platform for former Kerala state cricketers from across the globe—including the Middle East, Singapore, and New Zealand to reunite, rekindle competitive spirit, and foster enduring friendships.

The Sports Authority of Goa was quite supportive by offering a well-maintained Chicalim cricket ground. Recognising this milestone season, two highly competitive matches were organised: a T20 and a T10. Despite the challenging humid conditions, the players showcased their skill and commitment. The T20 match saw Team Red secure victory by 53 runs, while Team Blue emerged triumphant in the T10 by a margin of 28 runs.

The matches featured notable batting performances from Shajil Balan, Mohammed Afsal, Sashikant, Riyas Ali, Ranjith Menon, Manzoor, and Chandrasekhara. Sony Cheruvathur and Shibith Padikkal displayed power hitting, sending several balls beyond the 90 meters. In the bowling arena, players like Sandeep N P, Prajeet P, Anand Ramaswamy, and Shahid C P delivered excellent spells, while Balaji Narayanan earned special recognition with an impressive five-wicket haul in the T10.

Balan and Narayanan were declared the Man of the Match in the T20 and T10.

KOC expresses sincere gratitude to the sponsors, Consolidated Shipping Group, CSS, and Blue Ocean Corporation, whose steadfast support has been fundamental to KOC since the Friendship Cup’s inception. The sponsor's dedication has been pivotal in sustaining this tradition, enriching the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship that defines the event.