Illinois Premier League Cricket Conference Season 7 champions emerge

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The Illinois Premier League Cricket Conference Season 7 concluded in Chicago on Sunday, September 27^th, 2020 with several spectators gathered for the thrilling final game which saw the Hyderabad Cricket Club emerge as champions.

The Illinois Premier League Cricket Conference (IPLCC) is among several popular cricket organizations that play the game so dear to those who trace their origins to South Asia. The IPLCC  was established by Raees Nizami seven years ago, and has several talented cricketers, according to a news report/press release from Syed Khalil Ullah.

The games were held in line with government regulations and COVID safety guidelines, the press release said.

This year’s tournament featured Afghan Zalmi, Hyderabad Deccan Cricket Club, Deccan Chargers and Thunderbirds.

This year was particularly challenging Nizami said but all the games went very well, “But all of our priorities were to insure the City and State government restrictions (were) in place to keep the community and players safe from COVID-19.”

In this 20/20 league cricket tournament was played between four Teams and each team included local players and several out-of-state players. The IPLCC follows the International Cricket Council League format. This year’s tournament ran from the first week of August 2020 until the last week of September 2020, different from other years when it starts in the first week of May.

On Sunday, Sept. 27, the victorious Hyderabad Deccan Cricket Club, and Thunderbirds were in action, facing off at 9 a.m. CST at the Warren Park Cricket Ground in the final game of the Season 7.

Thunderbirds won the toss and took fielding first.

The Hyderabad Deccan Cricket Club put on a total of 224 runs hitting out at all corners of the field, the press release said. The Thunderbirds could not match the score though its batsmen played long innings. They were all out for 169 runs.

“My Team has done really well today,” Captain Syed Jibran of the Hyderabad Deccan Cricket Club is quoted saying in the press release.

Nizami thanked the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, supporters, guests, media organizations, volunteers and IPLCC board members, noting that without their support, the tournament season would have found it impossible to succeed.