10 Teams Ready for the 3rd Edition of Poona Club Billiards and Snooker League
Pune, 27th November 2024: The third edition of the Poona Club Billiards and Snooker League (PCBSL) is set to kick off from November 28 to December 7, 2024, at the prestigious Poona Club Snooker Hall. This eagerly awaited tournament will feature over 65 players, representing 10 teams, in a battle for glory.
The PCBSL, exclusively designed for the members of the Poona Club, showcases some of the best cueists in the city, including Kapil Punjabi, Vignesh Sanghvi, and Suraj Rathi—all national-level players—alongside 62 other talented individuals. Highlighting the league’s inclusivity, the youngest participant is 10-year-old Krrish Raghani, while the most seasoned player is the evergreen Dr. Rusi Marolia, aged 85+. Players for the league were selected through an auction held on November 21, where Kapil Punjabi, Vignesh Sanghvi, and Suraj Rathi emerged as the costliest players, reaching the maximum bidding cap.
Gaurav Gadhoke, President of Poona Club, said, “This league reflects the vibrant culture of Poona Club, where tradition meets innovation. The PCBSL has grown tremendously in its three editions, and I am proud to see it setting benchmarks for excellence in cue sports. It is heartening to witness the enthusiasm of our members and the support from sponsors in making this event a grand success.”
“The PCBSL is a platform to celebrate the legacy and talent within our club. It is thrilling to see generations of players, from rising stars to veterans, come together for a league that fosters competitive spirit and camaraderie,” added Indraneel Mujgule, Vice President of Poona Club and Chairman of the League.
The coveted trophy for this tournament is dedicated to the late Shantilal Sanghvi, a pioneer of cue sports in Pune and the Poona Club.
The league is sponsored by Rajan Khivansara of Manisha Construction, a stalwart in the cue sports community, former President of the Billiards and Snooker Association of Maharashtra (BSAM), and ex-President of BSFI. Khivansara, who has been nominated for the prestigious Padma Shri award for his contributions to the sport, continues to support the game selflessly. The event is also backed by Sunil Handa, Sanjay Sanghvi, and Mukesh Sanghvi.
Special recognition is due to Sunil Handa, former President of the Poona Club, for his long-standing contributions to the development of cue sports at the club.
The teams competing in this edition are:
Manisha Royals (Rajan Khivansara, Abhishek R. Khinvasara)
Jaguars (Manpreet Uppal, Gaurav Gadhoke)
Ball Breakers (Vinod Makhija, Aditya Shetty)
Parmar All Stars (Hiren Parmar, Sanat Parmar)
RS Cannons (Ricky Rajpal)
Rockets (Rahul Bagga, Vaibhav Shah)
Sanghvi Shooters (Sanjay Sanghvi, Mukesh Sanghvi)
The Whirlwinds (Sunil Handa, Sahil Handa)
ASR Strikers (Sarim Khan, Rajeev Raut)
Kings (Virendra Singh Oberoi)
The tournament is conceptualized and managed by Kara Intellect. A dedicated tournament committee, led by Chairman Indraneel Mujgule, includes Kapil Punjabi, Vignesh Sanghvi, Kunal Vaswani, and Ranjit Pande, ensuring the smooth and fair conduct of the event.
