If India Got ‘IPL’, Fr Muller Hospital Got ‘MPL’! Six Teams Vie for Big Cash Money & Trophy
Mangaluru: While IPL Fever is still alive among cricket enthusiasts, but at the Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI) , the IPL Fever had taken into a different form, where OT Super Kings of FMCI hosted for the FIRST time the “MPL-2019″(Muller Premier League-2019), which was played at the Father Muller Ground, Kankanady, Mangaluru on Sunday, 5 May 2019. Six teams namely- ‘Muller City Panthers’ (Owners- Twin brothers, Dr Kiran and Dr Kishan Shetty); ‘Muller Knight Riders’ (Owner-Dr Nandakishore); ‘Muller Strikers’ (Owners-Dr Mrinal Shetty & Dr Antony Eapen); ‘Muller Rhino Super Chargers ( Owners- Dr Ananth Somayaji & Dr George Taliat); ‘Muller Avengers’ ( Owner- Dr Ganesh M K); and ; ‘Muller Lions’ ( Owner- Dr Latheesh Leo).
Call it a lazy Sunday for many citizens of Kudla, but for the bunch of doctors, an administrative priest, nurses, O T and other staff of Father Muller Charitable Institutions, Sunday 5 May 2019 was a day for the physicians to keep their stethoscopes aside and hung their white-coats on the hanger, and for the nurses and other staff it was a big break from taking care of the patients, and for one administration priest (Fr Roshan Crasta, Administrator of Fr Muller Hospital-Thumbay) it was a morning to relax from the hectic time of listening to complaints and other hassles- and enjoy the fun of cricket, even though it was a treacherous hot summer day.
Yes, it was a beautiful and sunny Sunday, where the MPL-2019 Cricket Tournament kicked-off as early as 7.30 am, the first match played between Muller Strikers and Muller Rhino Chargers. The six teams taking part in this MPL-2019 comprised of only FMCI employees of various departments in the health care. Only six teams were allowed to take part in this tournament, and only Hospital Teaching and Non Teaching staff were allowed to participate. It was a tournament of 2 pools (A & B) – where each pool had three teams each. The match was of six overs and one bowler could bowl 2 overs and 2 overs were power play ( field restrictions was applied for power play, where only 2 fielders were allowed to field outside the 30-yard circle).
In the league stages, the Match winner was decided by 2 points, and looser got 0 points, and if the Match tied up, each team got 1 point. The team entry fee was Rs 10000, but the winners took home Rs 15,000 cash prize plus a trophy; while the runner-up took home Rs 10,000 cash prize and a trophy. Apart from that, in every match, a small trophy was given to the Man of the Match.
The MPL-2019 tournament which ended at 4.30 pm, “Muller Rhino Super Chargers” emerged as winners taking home Rs 15,000 plus trophy, while “Muller Lions” took home Rs 10,000 plus trophy. Man of the Series was Chethan of Muller Rhino Super Chargers; Best Batsman was Rithik of Muller Super Chargers, and Best Bowler was Rayan of Muller Lions. The prizes were handed over to the winners by Dr Preethi Jain, Anaethologist at FMCI. The commentators were Dr Abhishek K and Sachidanand, and RK, Jostin and Divu took care of the tournament.