Strawberry flavoured Hookah powers veterans cricket

Varanasi, Jun 3 (UNI) A strawberry flavoured Hookah powered a 16 over cricket match of elders aged between 55 and 85 at the Benia Bag mini-stadium here.

Organised under the auspices of the Allama Iqbal Educational Society, the match was played last night as part of an initiattive to provide enterntainment to elderlies, who were being cold shouldered by their off-springs.

Spanning from retired hotel manager Vinod Bakshi to the 70-year-old popular barber Bachhau, the two teams Massom and Chaupal, comprising of ten players each, included two youngsters, "who could ensure that the aged cricketers did not shy away from the field," said S Javed, the general secretary of thr Society.

The cricket match played under artificial lights, with the two umpires holding lanterns to signal their verdicts was played as per eerie rules.

''If the bowler hurts the batsman, the delivery will be adjudged a no ball, while a batsman who is playing really well will have to compulsorily retire after some time,'' said Javed.

The unique cricket match formed the third strand of a series of attempts to entertain the elders, especially, those from not so well to do sections, before the monsoon crept in.

''Under the initiative termed Chaupal, the elderlies have already played fun games, besides indulging in Qawalli and will next play a soccer match, wearing jersies, bearing names of stars who will feature at the Fifa World Cup in Germany,'' he added.

Interestingly, none of the elderlies had played cricket earlier.

''I have never played cricket, which is a simple game, just like football, but this experience was really rejuvenating, especially after we have been cornered by our children,'' said one 80-year-old Masiullah.

The drinks break saw the elders enjoy the puff of strawberry flavoured Hookah.

''Khelne se zyada, hookah peena ki chahat humein yaha le ayi thi''said Meva Lal Yadav, the captain of the losing Chaupal side.

While Masoom made 98 in their stipulated eight overs, while the losers fell short, of 42 runs.

The match ended with the winners and man of the match Ramzan, being awarded the shileds.

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