The Poona Hoteliers Association Premier League (PHAPL 7.0) concluded successfully, marking a key milestone in Pune’s hospitality sector. Hosted by the Poona Hoteliers Association (PHA), the five-day inter-hotel cricket tournament at Azam Campus Grounds featured 42 teams, 630 players, and over 1,000 spectators, showcasing sportsmanship and camaraderie.
The event kicked off with a grand opening ceremony, inaugurated by HRAWI President Jimmy Shaw, his wife Fida Shaw, MCE Society Vice President Abeda Inamdar, and PHA President Amit Sharma.They encouraged teams to play with passion and fairness.
Hyatt Regency Pune emerged as the champion, defeating Novotel Pune in a thrilling final. Royal Orchid Pune and Courtyard by Marriott Chakan secured top-four finishes. Roop Lal (Hyatt Regency) dominated individual awards, winning Man of the Match, Best Batsman (Orange Cap), and Player of the Tournament, while Deepak Dada (Courtyard by Marriott) claimed the Best Bowler (Purple Cap).
For the first time, live streaming of all 57 matches across two grounds expanded viewership beyond the venue, with matches broadcast on YouTube, mobile platforms, and hotel staff cafeterias, increasing total spectators from 1,000 on-field attendees to over 6,000 virtual viewers.
Led by Tournament Director Manu and a dedicated team of organizers, umpires, and ground staff, PHAPL 7.0 set new benchmarks. The PHA Executive Committee, including Amit Sharma, Santanu Sarkar, Sharan Shetty, Abhishek Sahai, Prapti Deshpande, Sumit Sharma, Vikram Raj Shetty, Bhushan Kumud, Pankaj Saxena, and Sanjay Singh, is already planning PHAPL 8.0, promising an even bigger and more exciting tournament in 2026.
