Masters Cricket USA

09/18/2026

Road to the Final

A wet start gave way to three glorious days of sunshine and a series of nail-biting contests. Sixteen teams began the race to the finish line. Some fell by the wayside, while others battled on. By the closing stages, three teams were competing for two places in the final. The Thunderbirds flew high, but ultimately could not get past the Bears and the Warriors.

The Championship Match- Come September not the movie by Robert Mulligan but on September 18, 2026

Today, the Bears will take on the Warriors. Will the Bears’ claws or the Warriors’ swords prevail? We will know by evening today. The final will also pit the USA O50 captain against the USA O50 vice-captain.

Why These Two Teams
In many ways, the tournament’s two best teams will meet in the final. Both remain unbeaten and were rarely tested during the league phase. The Warriors had to dig deep against A Boys, but won their other matches comfortably. The Bears bowled first in every game, restricted their opponents to modest totals, and completed each chase with ease. The Thunderbirds, the other close contender, had to fight hard for two of their four wins, which ultimately affected their net run rate.

Form and Key Performers
A closer look at the finalists shows that, apart from Anwar Ahmad, no batter from either side appears on the leaderboard. Anwar has scored 116 runs in four outings. That is understandable: the Bears’ batters have rarely needed more than 20 overs because they have been chasing very modest totals, and much the same is true of the Warriors. The bowlers from both teams feature prominently, with Raj Badadare taking 14 wickets for the Warriors and Ram Hanumara claiming 12 for the Bears. Both have been in tremendous form and have consistently put opposing batters under pressure.

Bears: Strengths and Opportunity
The Bears have a seasoned bowling attack led by three left-armers: Ram, Deepak, and Rajiv. In every match, the trio has controlled the scoring rate while taking wickets regularly, complementing one another perfectly. The Bears also have a strong batting lineup, although it has yet to be fully tested—and that may be the Warriors’ best opportunity. Nirav has produced one big innings and several attractive cameos. Fazal settled in well today and looks due for a substantial score; if he gets going, he can quickly put his team in control. Gani, Sharat, Jay, and Munawar are all capable batters, but they have had limited opportunities in this tournament. Much will depend on Fazal, Nirav, and Gani, whether the Bears are setting a target or chasing one.

Warriors: Batting Depth
Anwar Ahmad is in excellent form and, like Fazal, can take the game away from an opponent very quickly. Sunny Singh is another batter who can dominate on his day. Together, Sunny and Anwar form a dangerous opening pair, with left-hander Anwar creating an added challenge for opposing bowlers. Govind Unkalkar and Rahul Khona both played match-winning innings yesterday, while Raj Badadare has contributed consistently throughout the tournament. Warriors bat very deep with Srikanth Satya coming at #11, he is known for his skills as an opener. Shafiq is another who bats down the order for Warriors while capable of batting much higher for many other teams. This group will test a Bears attack that has not yet been placed under sustained pressure.

Key Factors- Who will prevail
• Fazal vs. Anwar
• Sunny Singh vs. Nirav
• Ram Kishan vs. Raj Badadare
• The Bears’ bowling trio vs. the Warriors’ batting trio

What Will Decide the Final
Let us hope for another gorgeous summer day in Atlanta and a final worthy of the occasion. Many of us will be glued to the YouTube live stream. Reaching the finish line is one thing; crossing it first is another. The winner will be the team that performs best across all three departments: batting, bowling, and fielding.

A Champion of Champions
Meanwhile, another team has already crossed the finish line and been crowned champion of champions. Dinesh and Arun will jointly lift the trophy after a one-horse race in which no one else could match their Mongol Derby challenge.

May the best team WIN.

Ravi Suri
MCUSA Media

09/16/2026

From ancient Greece’s olive wreaths to Rome’s corona civica (civic crown) for saving a life in battle, early award nights symbolized honor, courage, and excellence These ceremonies were public celebrations of achievement, often tied to civic pride and moral virtue.
The Academy Awards, first held in 1929, evolved into a global cultural event 2002, Halle Berry’s win for Monster’s Ball marked a milestone for African American women in film, with her speech underscoring industry diversity issue.
In 1984, Michael Jackson’s eight Grammys for Thriller cemented pop’s dominance in the 1980s. In 1999, Lauryn Hill became the first woman to win five Grammys in one night, including Album of the Year, highlighting women’s achievements in a male-dominated industry.
From time immemorial be it Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Grammys, or what have you, an award night is a night of celebrating team and individual performances. It is a night where all negativity is set aside and everyone is on the same page applauding and appreciating the winner.
MCUSA O50 awards night was held and celebrated yesterday during a well attended and brilliantly organized banquet in Atlanta, GA. The following O50 players were the award winners in various categories:
1. Best Fielder- Farhan Hameed for taking 10 catches
2. Best Wicket Keeper: Rahul Khona with 19 dismissals
3. Best Bowler: Raj Badadare claimed 49 wickets just short of a landmark by 1 wicket
4. Best Batsman: Fazal Alam 1041 runs
5. MVP Most valuable player award was shared by Fazal Alam and Raj Badadare

Fazal Alam continued to dominate with the bat and for a third successive year was adjudged the best batsman of MCUSA O50. That is consistency defined. Not to be left behind, Raj Badadare had a staggering season with the ball taking 49 wickets to be adjudged the best bowler again this year following this feat last year as well.

The USA O50 team bound for Hyderabad, India to participate in the World Cup is in safe hands of two leaders who have been performing consistently on and off the field. Fazal Alam will lead the team and Raj Badadare will be his able deputy.

As can be seen from the nominees in various categories the award winners had stiff competition and had to perform consistently to be crowned with Glory. MCUSA congratulates the winners and applauds all the nominees for their extraordinary feats.

Masters Cricket USA wishes to thank Arun Vittal, Dinesh Patel, the 50’s committee and all the volunteers who helped organize the memorable awards night. A special thanks goes out to Ahmad Merchant for his role in arranging a dinner par excellence and setting a bar to match in ensuing award nights.

Ravi Suri
MCUSA Media.

09/16/2026

Atlanta enjoyed another day of glorious sunshine, while cricket’s glorious uncertainties were again on full display. The MidwestThunderbirds continued to showcase their high-flying skills. As if yesterday’s ascent to the stratosphere were not proof enough, they soared even higher today to bring the North Spartans down to earth. Recovering from 63 for 6, their final four wickets added 90 runs in an impressive display of resilience. The Birds then kept the Spartans grounded, dismissing them for 60, with most of those runs coming from the lower order. Their performances over the past two days have kept them unbeaten and atop the table with 6 points from 3 games.

In the match between Stallion Warriors and West Warriors, only one team arrived ready for battle. The Stallion Warriors never found their stride; the stallion seemed to be missing its rider. West Warriors fully embraced their name, dismissing the Stallions for just 65 runs. In reply, they played as though it were a T10 match rather than a 45-over game, completing the chase in only 4 overs. That is not a typo—the target was reached in 4 overs.

The match between A Boys and North Bears lasted longer than the two games above. The Bears’ lefties did everything right, and their righties did no wrong. That left-right combination helped the Bears march to another victory, giving them 6 points from 3 games and first place in their pool. Ram K Hanumara, Deepak Chadha, and Rajiv Shah have proved a formidable trio, and no opponent has yet found answers to the challenges they pose. Sanjay Patel bowled well for A Boys, but a target of 125 was not enough to trouble the RIGHTIES in the Bears camp.

At the end of the 4th day, three teams on 6 points and five teams on 4 points remain in contention for the Top 4 spots. One more day of cricket should clarify the standings and determine the semifinalists. For now, it is banquet time—a signature event at every Masters Cricket USA tournament. It is an evening for everyone to come together, leave the on-field battles behind, enjoy one another’s company, and celebrate the award recipients. Tonight, a host of honors will be presented to the top performers of the 2025–26 season. Wishing everyone a successful banquet night.

Ravi Suri
MCUSA Media

09/16/2026

09/15/2026

The MCUSA O50 National is enjoying a memorable Georgia summer at the Paramveer Cricket Complex in Atlanta. Sixteen teams, divided into four groups, are competing for the top four spots. The tournament began in wet conditions on September 12, after the Paramveer ground staff—supported by a passionate and dedicated group of MCUSA volunteers—made a tremendous effort to prepare the wicket and outfield despite heavy overnight rain. Three days into the tournament, Midwest Thunderbirds, North Spartans, A Boys, and North Bears lead Groups A, B, C, and D, respectively.

Today’s matches will be crucial as the group leaders look to hold their positions and the chasing teams try to move ahead. In Group D, West Warriors and North Bears are level on points, separated only by net run rate. A Boys hold a comfortable four-point lead in Group C, leaving the other teams with considerable ground to make up. Groups A and B are similarly poised: Midwest Thunderbirds and North Spartans lead with four points, while Stallions United and Alpha Kings are close behind with two points each.

Ketan Patel of A Boys and Ayyaz Khan of North Spartans are the leading run-scorers, with 109 and 102 runs, respectively. Ram Kishan Hanumara of North Bears and Keyur Patel of Midwest Thunderbirds are the tournament’s leading wicket-takers, with Hanumara also claiming a hat-trick.
Abrar Ahmad of SF Saints leads the wicketkeeper-fielders with six dismissals, followed closely by Ajay Phogat of Alpha Kings with five.
Ayyaz Khan has delivered the tournament’s standout all-round performance so far. In addition to being the second-highest run-scorer, he took 5 for 14 in seven overs against Indus.
Ram Kishan Hanumara has recorded the tournament’s only hat-trick so far.

The tournament has featured several closely contested matches, none tighter than Midwest Thunderbirds’ defense of a below-par total of 76. Today is day 4 of the tournament, all games are streamed live on YouTube and can be accessed by downloading MCUSA app.

Ravi Suri
MCUSA Media

09/13/2026

Shop now store.masterscricketusa.com

09/12/2026

MCUSA Meet and Greet is a beautiful event which warms the players and officials up for what is in store. MCUSA has been conducting these events as a formal curtain raiser at every tournament. The Masters Cricket USA Over 50s National scheduled from today in Atlanta had its meet and greet last night at the Tru by Hilton.

These events are warm and welcoming. The organizers lay down the tournament playing conditions, the tournament clothing is distributed, some leg pulling is always there. A lot of banter and outlook to the games coming up is exchanged,

Arun Vittala is permanent at these events, he has been a great servant of MCUSA. Dinesh Patel is his right hand for the O50 National in Atlanta.

WhatsApp window was steaming hot yesterday with Ranga bringing on the heat and humidity of Chennai right to our living rooms, Parak adding fuel to the fire with no respite.

The heat of the games may take some time to ignite given the unfortunate weather conditions in Atlanta.

Players from various parts of this vast country made their way to Atlanta. Some lucky not to be airborne for too long, some spending hours between the tarmac and the gates, some spending anxious moments in the air but finally all checking in at the Tru, truly MCUSA is a magnet which attracts us all.

May the games begin, so much to play for. Thank you Arun, Dinesh and all the volunteers behind the scenes to unfold the O50 National. Thank you Nishant for your wonderful work on media coverage

Ravi Suri
MCUSA media

09/12/2026

🏏 2026 Over 50s Nationals — Let the Games Begin! 🏏

The 2026 Over 50s Nationals kicks off today at the Paramveer Sports Complex in Rydal, GA, in the northern suburbs of Atlanta! In an historic expanded format, 16 teams from all 4 zones are gathering together for the very first time.

Masters Cricket USA events like this thrive because of the unwavering support of our sponsors — a special thank you to all our MCUSA Sponsors for making this moment possible! 🙏

📺 Catch all the live streaming action on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf6ghUxrSRoo&si=39ndeD0twHavtcWv

📊 Live scoring powered by CricHeroes -
https://tinyurl.com/239y8p8e

Let's go, Over 50s! 🏆

09/11/2026

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