Best players: Cadet boys: T.K. Srikanth (Supreme Fighters), Junior girls: Diya Chitale (High Tide), Junior boys: Mandar Hardikar (High Tide), Veterans: Kiran Salian (Kool Smashers), Women’s: Madhurika Patkar (MTC Royals), Men’s: Noel Pinto (MTC Royals), Best Overall Player: Sanil Shetty (Kool Smashers)
Mumbai : Supreme Fighters, proved the most balanced team in the fray, with no individual stars, but each player pulling his weight and outplayed Kool Smashers 5-3 in the best of nine finals to emerge champions in the 2nd iProspect-Mumbai Super League, organised by 11Even Sports and hosted by NSCI at their premises on Saturday.
It was the second win for Supreme Fighters over Kool Smashers, having beaten them in the league stage and they took home Rs 1.5 lakh for their efforts. Kool Smashers had to be content with Rs 1 lakh, while the losing semi-finalists were richer by Rs 50,000
With former National men’s champion Sanil Shetty calling the shots for Kool Smashers and expected to win his singles and also dictate terms in the doubles, it was up to the other players from Supreme Fighters to rise to the occasion and they did so in style, with Manushree Patil, the junior girl and T K Srikanth, the cadet boys winning crucial rubbers. Manushree then paired with Hrishikesh Malhotra to win the mixed junior doubles and secure victory for her team.
After Mrumnayee Mhatre gave the champions the lead wining the opening women’s singles rubber, Sanil cancelled out the lead with an easy straight games win over Ravindra Kotiyan in the men’s singles.
After the match was locked 2-2, with Tanmay Rane winning the junior boys singles for Kool Smashers and Ravindra Kotiyan and Mrunmayee Mhatre regaining parity with a win in the mixed doubles, it was the turn of Manushree Patil to pick the baton.
Playing and aggressive game, Manushree easily accounted for Krisha Agarwal in three games, before an engrossing cadet boys match had the entire hall in raptures. It was T K Srikanth, who kept his nerves in the decider between the diminutive rivals to prevail and give his team a 4-2 lead. Sanil Shetty then paired up with semi-final hero Kiran Salian to win the men’s/veterans doubles and keep Kool Smashers in the match, before Manushree Patil and Hrishikesh Malhotra sealed victory, defeating the pair of Tanmay Rane and Krisha Agarwal in the Jr Mixed doubles