Sehwag, Dhoni, Sreesanth to star in Sheeshmahal Cricket from Apr 24

Lucknow, Apr 11 (UNI) Team India stars including Virendar Sehwag, M S Dhoni and S Sreesanth are expected to feature in the 54th edition of Sheeshmahal cricket tournament, the only morning tourney in the world, starting here from April 24.

The nine-day event which is accredited with catapulting players like M L Jaisimha, Abid Ali, Mohinder Amarnath, Yashpal Sharma and Navjot Singh Siddhu to national fame, will be staged on league cum knock out basis at the K D Singh Babu and Chowk Stadium, tournament Organising Secretary Mohsin Raza told UNI here today.

Raza said altogether eight teams including holders Indian Airlines, runners up Cricket Association of Lucknow (CAL), Orissa Cricket Association, UP Cricket Association, Rizvi Builders Mumbai and Collage Group, New Delhi will play in the 40 over a side tournament -- the only summer tourney in the world which starts at 0600 hrs and ends by the time sun in overhead.

''The tourney in the past was the prized practice ground for top players including Sunil Gavaskar, Ramesh Saxena, Kapil Dev, Mohd.

Azharuddin to Mohinder Amarnath and Navjot Singh Siddhu, but off late has lost its sheen,'' lamented Raza.

The presence of swashbuckling Team India keeper M S Dhoni, stylish strokemaker V V S Laxman, explosive but off colour India vice-captain Virendra Sehwag, besides mercurial Mohd Kaif, dependable Suresh Raina, speedsters R P Singh, S Sreesanth and leggie Piyush Chawla, was likely to add the much needed glamour to the Rs 2.5 lakh prize money tournament, he added.

The winner of the tourney will fetch a prize money worth Rs 1,50,000, while the summit clash loser gets richer by Rs 1,00,000.

Besides the aforesaid big ticket players, former national sqaud members including diminutive opener S S Das and pacer Debashish Mohanty are also likely to showcase their prowess.

The former India A pacer and UP U-21 coach Raza further said tournament would switch back to its traditional colours -- white -- instead of coloured outfits for players introduced last year.

The final will be played at the K D Singh Babu Stadium on May three.

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