RIYADH: The Independence Cup 2015, a month-long cricket tournament to celebrate 69th Indian independence, was launched amid much fanfare in a five-star hotel in Riyadh on Friday night.

A well attended program by the who's who of Indian community witnessed the formal launch of the cricket tourney and unveiling of the winner's and runner's-up trophy.

Organized by the All India United Society (AIUS) and Mumtaz sports academy, matches for the month-long cricket tournament will be played weekends.

The first match of the tournament is scheduled for Aug. 28 and the grand finale for Oct 2.

The teams in the tournament and their captains include Riyadh Fighters (Mohammad Sameer Sheikh), Hyderabad Leopards (Omar Kashif), Classic XI

club (Khaleel Baig Junaid), Family & Friends club (Mohammed Abdul Ateeq), Peace club (Mohammed Kaleem), Concord cricket club (Mustafa

Shareef), Peace cricket club (Ummer Koya), NewStar club (Ehsaan Shakeeb), Victorious club (Hussain Mohammed), Super XI club (Mohammed

Nisar), Rock Star club (Mohammad Basha), Nawabs XI club (Khaja Mohammed Yousuf), Chennai XI club (Mohammed Idrees), Deccan Warriors

(Shoeb Hakeem), Brothers XI club (Shaikh Qadeer) and Champs XI club (Esa Mohammed).

AIUS president Mohammad Ashraf Ali told Arab News that there are more teams interested to participate in the tournament, therefore we can

select a few more to make it more interesting with the increasing competition.

Mohammed Rafeeq, chairman Momtaz sports academy was equally excited as he plans to come up with a proper cricket academy in Riyadh for the

promotion of the game in the Kingdom.

He also announced cash prizes at various levels for the participating teams and players.

AIUS has earlier successfully organized Republic Cup to celebrate Indian Republic Day in the Kingdom and this Independence cup is being

seen with equal expectations for its huge success.

Syed Mouzam Ali, CEO of Al Wafaq Al Shaheqa Group and one of the sponsors for the tournament, said 40 teams are interested to play

in the qualifying round but only 20 teams are shortlisted for this year and then expand the tourney with a view to making it beyond the Kingdom and to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as Indians reside in GCC in huge numbers.

Notably, legendary Indian cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin during his trip to Riyadh also assured full cooperation from his side to

popularize the game in the Kingdom and expressed willingness to help with the professional support in the running of a cricket academy.