Cricket legends reunite to light up PBPS Festival in Dar, Zanzibar

HISTORY in the making as over 37 cricket legends living overseas reunite with those living in the country to stage a colourful cricket festival in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

Going by Patel Brotherhood Patel Samaj (PBPS), the unique cricket festival officially starts tomorrow in Dar es Salaam.

It is rare festival that will enable Tanzania to again see all the country’s cricket legends participating in the festival beginning tomorrow to October 23rd this year..

The festival will then be shifted to Zanzibar starting from October 28th to 30th this year.

During the festival, according to the organizers, the veteran players will also be part of the cricket workshop organised for young cricketers who will play alongside the legends.

Tanzania Veterans Cricketers’ Reunion 2022 Chief coordinator Dinesh Vaishnav told the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday that preparation for the festival has been finalised and everything is in place.

Vaishnav, who previously served Tanzania Cricket Association(TCA )as a secretary general and a member of the National Sports Council (NSC) said the majority of cricket legends are aged over 65 years now.

The eldest, according to him, is the former cricket star now based in England based R. D. Patel who is aged 86 years and has arrived in Dar es Salaam for the festival.

Other cricket legends expected to light up the festival are Patadia brothers Hitesh, Dinesh and Kaushik, Mr and Mrs Pradip Thakrar, Bhavin Vaishnav, Nila Joshi, Ahmed Osman and Yusuf Somji who arrived from the United States of America.

Those from England are Pradip Vanza & Family, Kanu Rathod, Jitu Patel, Narendra Nagar, Kishore Chavda, Mr. & Mrs Hitesh Patel, Kiran Patel, Pranlal Divecha, Taher Amijee, Sunil Vaghela, Kanak Khetia and Jay Labh Gadhvi.

From Canada there are Mr. & Mrs Shabir Kaderbhai, Kishore Gajjar, Mrs. Chandrika Gajjar, Dhirubhai Mistry, Mrs. Niru Mistry, Bashir Ramzan, Tarlochan Singh Sandhu and Akbar Pirbhai.

Also in the list are Sikandar Fazal from Dubai and Chandra Shekhar Baxi from India.

Oversee cricket legend group’s leader, Kanu Rathon complimented the PBPS team led by Harish Patel and assisted by Secretary Jigar Patel, Pinal Patel,Yagnesh Patel for doing a commendable job in organizing the event and helping to reunite the legends.

Rathon added: “Finally I thank all legends for joining in this historical trip to see and feel Tanzania.”

Vaishnav stressed: “I must mention that it is the Patel Brotherhood Patel Samaj who invited the overseas cricket legends to the PBPS Cricket Festival and made it possible.

He said the idea started way back on May 21st , 2021, after having brainstormed with friends, and launched a WhatsApp Group for Tanzania’s Veteran Cricketers.

“I did not even dream of the distance that this group would cover to reach the stage where we are today,” explained.

Noted that the objective was very simple to resurrect the history of cricket that once upon a time – bound them together in the world of Cricket in the then Tanganyika and now what we call it “Authentic Tanzania”.

“I thought it was fitting for our legendary cricketers to celebrate cricket and cricketers of the past and present on the land of Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar.

It is therefore our love for the game that has brought us to Dar es Salaam & Zanzibar.”

Vaishnav noted that it all started in 1826 when the first cricket match was played in Zanzibar, now proud part of Tanzania.

“As I run through the pages of history of cricket in Tanzania, I see all phases of development of cricket.

We have been part of the process. We played a lot of cricket at club, national level, East African and some of us at international levels. We played with great joy.

“Today I see tremendous strides in the promotion & development of the game. I see men and women cricketers taking the game seriously bringing home trophies making us proud.”

He said they see Under 19 Cricketers reaching good heights. Cricket in their times was different.

Now see professionalism in the administration of the game. See well-groomed cricketers making it possible to reach greater heights.

“Today, what we see of the game and cricketers makes us feel proud. We have recognised the pivotal role played by the TCA.

We, the Legends, loudly applaud tremendous efforts in the development of Cricket especially in the indigenous Tanzanian Community.

“TCA chairman Premji Pindoria, your work will indeed go on the golden pages of current history not forgetting the fact that Tanzania is now a member of International Cricket Council (ICC), convey our blessings to young cricketers and admiration.”

He invites fans to cheer the legends on the field this Sunday.

For them it’s a great feeling and for making this programme possible he has extended a big thanks to Team Tanzania led by Bashir Tejani, Mohammed Nathoo, Dinesh Vaishnav & Ahmed Himid.