JOIN USEncouraged by the success various sports leagues have been enjoying in the country, Indian cue sports will be hoping for a similar outcome when the ambitious Cue Masters League kicks off at Ahmedabad on Saturday.
The seven-day league will see five teams -- Delhi Dons, Bengaluru Buddies, Hyderabad Hustlers, Chennai Strikers and Gujarat Kings -- fight it out in a round-robin cum knockout format.
Each tie will have three 6-red snooker and two 9-ball pool matches. Each team boasts of five players (1 icon player, 1 female player and 3 men players, with the stipulation that at least three of them are Indians).
The top four teams will then contest in the knockout semifinals on Aug 24 with the final slated the next day. The overall prize money on offer is Rs 50 lakh.
Chennai Strikers, who roped in the irrepressible Pankaj Advani, will take on Gujarat Kings in the opening clash while Bengaluru Buddies will face Delhi Dons in the second encounter.
“We have experience and youth on our side. We will be hard to beat,” declared Advani, a 16-time world champion, on the eve of the event. “The skill of veteran Dharminder Lilly and Faisal Khan and the energy of Vidya Pillai and Pandu Rangaiah make it a perfect mix. India has been waiting for a league like this. I am happy to see that it is taking off, that too with so many top players in fray.”
Bengaluru Buddies have roped in Darren Morgan as their icon player. The 51-year-old Welshman, who played on the professional tour from 1988 to 2007 and reached a career-high ranking of eight, will be joined by Russian Anastasia Nechaeva and the Indian trio of Laxman Rawat, Varun Madan and Sandeep Gulati.
Welshman Andrew Pagett, the icon player for Gujarat Kings, sounded optimistic of his team’s chances. “We have a great team and are confident of going all the way,” Pagett declared, pointing towards the Indian stalwarts in his corner -- former Asian snooker champion Alok Kumar, Brijesh Damani and Sourav Kothari. Add the presence of three-time European Ladies Team champion Daria Sirotina from Russia and Gujarat appear formidable.
The matches will be telecast live on Sony ESPN from 6 to 8.30 pm.