Media Release

Bahrain, Sep 7: It’s cricket, cricket and cricket all over and around again for the Konkani Community of Sacred Heart Church parish cricket fanatics, young and old at the sprawling Indian Club Bahrain grounds on August 20 and 22 evening and all day on Friday, August 22 for the Monthi Fest 2025 cricket festival tournament.

The heat and humidity of the August summer did not deter the cricket enthusiasts, players, participants and fans from giving it all they had in terms of cricket on the grounds. A spectacle beyond cricket boundaries!

The 2025 Monthi Fest cricket festival brought forth 12 men’s and 4 ladies’ teams on the arena for a spirited but competitive cricket festival that adorned the Indian Club Bahrain grounds with all its din and decorum and as always it was nothing short of a feast for every eye! The 12 men’s teams were pooled in four groups of 4 teams each in a group-cum-league knock-out matches.

Total 12 men’s league matches, with 4 quarterfinals, 2 semi-finals and concluded with the grand final held on 22nd August between men’s Team Elite Eagles and Goan Falcons. All matches were played with the much cricket parphernelia and in the healthy spirit of the game with the expertise of the Konkani Community Cricket organisers, who are veterans in the game.

Here are the results in brief of the men’s tournament:

Team “Elite Eagles” – Winners

Team “Goan Falcons” – Runners

Oliver Alphonso – Player of the tournament - Monthi Fest Cricket 2025

Patrick Rodrigues – Best batter

Nelson D’Souza – Best bowler

Lancy D’Souza – Best player of the finals match

The ladies’ tournament also saw 4 Ladies’ teams from within the Konkani Community with some of the ladies on the cricket field for the first time ever – all with much enthusiasm and fun for the spectators to watch! The audience witnessed some spectacular piece of batting, bowling and fielding by the ladies. It was a final between the Bahrain Warriors and s Sea Guys with Sea Guys emerging as the ultimate champions.

Here are the results in brief of the ladies’ tournament:

Team “Sea Guys” – Winners

Team “Bahrain Warriors” – Runners

Vinola Lobo – Best player of the tournament

Shalet D’Souza– Best batter

Shainy Lobo – Best bowler

Shallet D’Souza – Best player of the finals match

Winners were given trophies, cups and attractive prizes.

All well worth the day spent out in the open cricket arena, despite the hot sweaty weather and slippery grounds. Hats off to the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Konkani community for organising yet again the Monthi Fest 2025 cricket festival under the patronage of The Indian Club.

The umpires for the tournament did their job with precision and the matches were played in all fairness the game deserved.

The Umpires for the Tournament who did a wonderful job were –Kamal Mohamed Sheikh & Ilyas Adam Sheikh, veterans in the game of cricket. They deserve a round of applause for their strenuous in umpiring amid the heat and humidity during the matches.

The cricket commentators Thomas Fernandes, Freeda, Loyd Veigas and Arun Fernandes rolled the event rhythmically with their running commentary throughout the matches to keep the spirit of the game alive and kicking with some good sense of humor for the players and spectators.

Roshan D’Souza Kateel, was the official photographer catching glimpses of action on and off the field during the Tournament.

All credit in organising the event goes to the core committee of Sacred Heart Catholic Church led by its convenor Nelson Menezes and team with the blessings of spiritual director of the Konkani Community SHC, Fr Darel Fernandes. Indian Club Bahrain president Cascious Pereira addressed the gathering and appreciated supporters present in large numbers in this hostile climate conditions.

All in all, an awesome fun-filled eventful cricket tournament on and off the field at the Indian Club grounds for the Konkani Community as a part of the Monthi Fest 2025 celebrations at the Sacred Heart Church.