Bringing back memories of good old days when many stalwarts from the old city ruled not just Indian football but also on the big stage such as the 1956 Melbourne Olympics which had five players from the city.
When a few enthusiastic soccer fans led by chief coordinator Mohammad Baig took the initiative of hosting the inaugural Salar-e-Millath Cup football tournament at Vijayanagar Colony, it was not only a tribute to the late Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, founder of MIM, but also a reminder that the Owaisi family has genuine interest in the sport.
State Bank of Hyderabad won the Cup with a solitary goal win over Hyderabad Globe in the final on Saturday afternoon in front of die-hard fans. The match-winner came through Nawaz Sharief. But more than the end-result, the message from the organisers was pretty simple – if someone has the organisational skills to host an event with the required sincerity and objectivity, there are sponsors who will come forward in a big way.
“Yes, we are grateful to the Owaisi family for lending complete support to the event,” avers Mohammed Baig, chief organiser and the brain behind the show.
In a way, the success of Salar-e-Millath Cup was also a fair indication of the still existing popularity of the sport in this part of the city, which has not seen too many football tournaments in recent times.
Mostly, the tournaments are confined to the Trimulgherry region, thanks to Shastri Soccer Club's efforts.
That the State Bank of Hyderabad, which happened to be the only team from the city to take part in the recent Durand Cup in New Delhi, participated and eventually won the title was proof enough about the seriousness with which the 20 teams took part in the Cup. “We are really impressed with the way the event was organised and we wish it will be a regular feature,” says SBH coach E. Shyam. At the end of it all, the winners were richer by Rs.20,000 and the runner-up Rs.10,000.
Lush green
Mr. Akbaruddin Owaisi, MLA, promised to consider the proposal of converting the ground into a lush green playfield.
