India’s Indoor cricket team set for the World Cup

Dubai, Jun 30: India’s indoor cricket team is all set to take part in the 10thedition of the World Indoor Cricket Federation (WICF) World Cup, scheduled to be held from 16-23 September 2017.

The week-long tournament, will be held in partnership with Cricket Australia (CA) and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), at the Insportz Club in Dubai.

The event will attract approximately 400 players and officials from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and the host UAE, apart from India. Established in 1997, Insportz Club is the Middle East’s first indoor sports facility with fully air-conditioned multipurpose courts.

The 10th edition of the WICF World Cup will also involve players competing in the Open Men’s, Open Women’s, 21 & Under Men’s, and 21 & Under Women’s divisions, with Australia the reigning World Champions in each of the four divisions.

The Indian team is managed and operated by the XLR8 India, an indoor arena in Bengaluru. The India Indoor Sports Federation, has mandated XLR8 to select, train and prepare Indian cricket teams for all indoor tournaments.

For the 2017 edition of the showpiece event in indoor cricket, XLR8 has appointed UAE-based Petromann Events to manage, operate and market the Indian team. Petromann Events, brainchild of Mr Abdul Latif Khan, also known as Arif Khan in sporting arena, has been in existence for close to two decades and has been an active player in the domestic indoor and outdoor cricket scene in UAE.

Henry D’Souza, CEO, XLR8 said: “The expertise and skill set that Petromann Events brings to the table made it easy for us to choose them to execute the operations. The experience of Mr Abdul Latif Khan’s team made it easier for us to make the decision.”

Abdul Latif Khan, chairman, Petromann Events said: “It is an absolute honour to be chosen to manage the Indian national team. As an Indian, it is a historic moment for Petromann Events and for me personally to be chosen for this honour. We will put forth our best foot forward for this event.”

In the coming days, Petromann Events is expected to unveil their plans to promote, manage and secure sponsorships for the Indian team. Among the variety of plans likely to put forth, could be the appointment of a reputed international cricketer as brand ambassador of the Indian cricket team.

“We are planning to tap into the vast Indian community in the region. There are plans afoot to involve some reputed names in helping raise awareness of the tournament and the team. Our knowledge of the area makes it that much easier for us to do our task,” Mr Abdul Latif Khan added.

One of the biggest handicaps for the Indian team is the fact that unlike other teams participating in the World Cup, they are not supported or managed by their national board. So raising the profile of the Indian team becomes the first task of both Petromann Events and XLR8.

In the coming days, the Indian cricket team is set to be showcased in the grandest way possible as they train to prepare for the World Cup.

About XLR8

Expat Leisure & Resorts Ltd. is an Expat Group venture

XLR8 is a unique product that successfully merges the frenzied appeal of outdoor sports with the pace, exhilaration, and flexibility of an indoor format. And in doing so, opens the flood-gates of health, fitness and entertainment aspirations to people of all ages, regardless of gender or skill levels.

Indoor cricket, hockey, football are just some of the disciplines this exciting new product can almost instantly morph to facilitate.

XLR8 brings the latest in indoor sport into one hi-tech facility, complete with the amenities you will find at any well appointed Club. These include well designed, world class courts and interiors, hygienic, modern changing rooms and washrooms for men and women, a viewing gallery, rehydration/refreshment points, a sports goods centre and more.

XLR8 launched its first HEALTHERTAINMENT Center in Bangalore in early July, 2008. Located a breezy 25 min drive off one of the city's arterial roads, the Ring Road, this modern HEALTHERTAINMENT Center lies amidst a wave of greenery and a pool of peace and quiet on the Hennur Road.

About Petromann Events

More than a decade ago a team emerged from nowhere to try their hands in indoor cricket tournaments in Dubai; a team largely made of blue collared workers.

A man named Abdul Latif Khan also known as Arif Khan was the man behind this startup. A passionate cricketer having played moderate level of the game back home in India, Arif Khan was desperate to carry on his love when he came to Dubai in search of greener pastures.

Despite the initial hardship, in 2004, he decided to form the team named PETROMANN that entered the indoor facility for the first time. Offered an opportunity to prove their mettle in the ‘D’ Division at Insportz, it was not a smooth sailing for Arif Khan and his team. There were handful of players who were ready to play but could not afford shoes while many of them were not even aware of the rules of indoor cricket.

But with a never-say-die attitude, Arif Khan ensured he kept the spirit of the team high and the results began to show as they emerged champions of that division.

Thereafter it was a fairytale ride for the Petromann as the team quickly rose through the success ladder and found themselves playing in the ‘A’ Division against some of the best teams in the country.

Their fight to excel continued and there was no looking back as the team made winning tournaments a habit. They achieved success in every possible tournament proving their dominance in indoor cricket and earning a huge reputation in the cricketing fraternity.

The team’s face changed rapidly as years went by with several players who represented the UAE National team also being part of the setup. Among those Amjad Javed, Asif Mumtaz, Rohan Mustafa and Qassim were some to name a few.

They went a step ahead bringing international players on full time contract from Sri Lanka to play further strengthen the team. A full-fledged board was formed to further enhance the management of the team that included Usman Manzoor, Sheikh Umar, Riyaz Khan, Sanjay Kuckian, Sheikh Usman and Tanveer Sadekar.

As they grew in status, for the first time in 2013, Petromann found a sponsor in Pacific Ventures for ICC Summer League. Real Estate developer Parvez Khan showed tremendous interest in the team and soon Pacific Ventures & Petromann Group Cricket Club collaborated as the team began playing under the banner of PVCC. This was the first team to find a full sponsor in the UAE.

After having achieved so much, Abdul Latif Khan, who also served as the Manager of Cricket Operations for Capricorn Commanders in the Masters Champions League held in 2016, felt it was time to give back something to the game he loved so much.