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Lanka Cricket, Ten Sports to play 20/20 cricket
MUMBAI: Innovation is the name of the game as far as presenting sports is concerned. The same holds true for cricket. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) together with Ten Sports have announced they will will stage the first 20/20 cricket event in Asia.
The event will be played in August and September. This is when the Holland Tourney and Champions Trophy take place on Max. The 20/20 event was first introduced in England to stop the rapidly declining interest in their county cricket.
As the name suggests each team bats for and bowls only 20 overs instead of the nromal 50. The inaugural tournament in Asia will have Sri Lanka’s 16 premier clubs divided into two groups. The quarter finals take place on 2 September while the final will be played on 3 September. Ten Sports will have live coverage of this. The broadcaster is also looking to have a similar event staged in Pakistan.
One wonders though as to the kind of viewing the tournament will get in India. It is a fact that interest in our Ranji Trophy is dismal to say the least. Couple this with the fact that as mentioned above 20/20 will be competing for attention with two premiere international cricket tournaments.
It remains to be seen as to how Ten goes about building up interest in the brand. Max was able to successfully do that for the Under 19 World Cup which was held earlier this year. Max’s former business head Rajat Jain recently told Indiantelevision.com that the next time the event took place advertisers and media planners would sit up and take notice.
SLC CEO Duleep Mendis added, “20-20-cricket is a new concept, which has come to stay in terms of playing positive cricket and a result oriented version of the game. It is attractive to both spectators and sponsors alike and the hallmark of 20-20-cricket would be that a game could be concluded within the space of three hours.”
Ten Sports VP Peter Hutton mentioned that for some time the broadcaster had been trying to make steps to assist domestic cricket in Sri Lanka. “I am sure this will be just the first of such initiatives.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
