MI Junior is an admirable and crucial effort. Yastika Bhatia Mumbai, January 25, 2024: The Mumbai Indians‘ wildly popular inter-school cricket competition, MI Junior, began its fourth edition with great fanfare on January 25 in Mumbai. Cricket players Devieka Palshikaar, the batting coach and wicketkeeper opener for the Mumbai Indians in the WPL, and Yastika Bhatia attended the function.
For young cricket players in Maharashtra, this annual tournament provides an excellent platform, giving them exposure and crucial game time. MI Junior is a grassroots development initiative that is part of the Education and Sports for All (ESA) initiative. It is organized in partnership with domestic cricket associations, such as the Mumbai Cricket Association, Vidarbha Cricket Association, and Maharashtra Cricket Association.
Yastika Bhatia provided insight into the fourth edition, stating, “There were very few females in my village who played cricket at the age group levels when I was their age. This is a really great and much-needed endeavor. I’m overjoyed that these young ladies have such a wonderful opportunity to leave their mark.
Building on the success of the previous initiative to promote inclusivity and diversity in the cricketing world, MI Junior season 4 has female scorers and umpires. The season’s winners will get the chance to attend a masterclass with the Mumbai Indians’ support personnel. MI Junior is one of the several grassroots development programs run by Reliance Foundation (the CSR division of RIL) under the Education and Sports for All (ESA) project, which aims to give every kid access to chances for learning in the fields of sports and education.
Devieka Palshikaar, who is a member of the MI Junior team, stated, “I was 18 when I first learned that women’s cricket existed.” I began by competing with the boys. I wish competitions such as these existed when I was younger. Imagine how much larger the player pool will be for Mumbai, Maharashtra, and Vidarbha clubs on the domestic circuit, with so many schools taking part.
Over 500 teams and 8,000 students have competed in the tournament’s first three editions. To introduce the schoolchildren to the rich cricketing heritage of the city, the matches in the upcoming edition will also take place at some of Mumbai’s most famous grounds and maidans, which have produced and raised some of India’s greatest cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Dilip Vengsarkar. The Mumbai Indians website will have the match results, along with updates on MI’s social media accounts.
Concerning MI Junior
The Mumbai Indians host MI Junior, an interschool cricket competition. The competition, which is in its fourth season, is a major project of the Education and Sports for All (ESA) initiative. By using female scorers and umpires, the competition promotes diversity. The winners receive a special training experience with a coach from #OneFamily, helping to foster grassroots growth and identify young players for cricket in the area.
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