Sreesanth to light up BNW- APL – AKCAF’s celebration of cricket and camaraderie

By K.R. Nayar

An alumni event is always held to evoke nostalgia. When such an event is organized spectacularly, it becomes historic, leaving an indelible mark—stronger than even the memories of student life. The All Kerala Colleges Alumni Forum (AKCAF) BNW-APL Cricket Tournament, which has been creating ripples in the UAE in the past, is set to stage its fourth edition from January 25 to February 15, 2025, at the DC Cricket Ground, Sharjah. It stands as a testament to the magnificence that can be achieved when like-minded people come together.

The enormous work this Alumni Forum has done over the years is remarkable. It has not been just about organizing a cricket tournament but also about uniting a vast community to serve the masses. Though I had heard about their contributions over the years, I truly witnessed the grandeur of their unity during the trophy unveiling and jersey distribution ceremony for the fourth edition, held at the Wyndham Dubai Deira Ballroom on January 18, 2025. The turnout at the event underscored the significance of their camaraderie, which has transformed this tournament into what they proudly call the largest Malayali cricket tournament outside Kerala.

Honoured to unveil the trophy along with the organising team that stages the largest Malayali cricket tournament

At a time when college cricket has almost disappeared in most Indian states, and completely in Kerala, the APL has emerged as the biggest college tournament, featuring 32 teams and eight women's teams. Over 600 players participate in this month-long tournament. The organizers' deep respect for cricket is evident in their relentless efforts to maintain the tournament’s prestige as one of the finest in the UAE’s domestic circuit.

The organising team celeberates the success of their camaraderie

The organizers ensured that S. Sreesanth, one of Kerala’s greatest pacers, continues as their brand ambassador. Like in the previous edition, Sreesanth will witness the entire tournament from start to finish. During the trophy unveiling and jersey distribution ceremony, they honored three cricketers who have brought laurels to Kerala—S. Santosh, P.G. Sundar, and Raiphi Gomez—and invited former Kerala captain and commentator Sony Cheruvathoor to distribute jerseys to all teams. I was also honored for my contributions to the game as a writer, which was truly a humbling experience.

The large turnout for the trophy and jersey launch

The selection of cricketers they chose to honor reflects the organizers’ deep knowledge and appreciation of Kerala cricket.

S. Santosh honoured with a shawl and a plaque

S. Santosh, hailing from a cricketing family, played alongside his elder brother S. Ramesh (Kerala’s longest-serving captain) and the late S. Rajesh. He has also represented the South Zone against Australia. In a 1985 Ranji Trophy match against Goa, he set a world record by executing five caught-and-bowled dismissals in a single innings.

P.G. Sundar honoured with a shawl and a plaque

P.G. Sundar, a left-handed batter from the little-known town of Palakkad, made a name for himself by scoring three centuries for Kerala. Even four years ago, he struck a half-century against Pakistan in the Over-50s World Cup. He now serves the game as a coach.

Raiphi Gomez honoured with a shawl and a plaque

Raiphi Gomez, an explosive all-rounder, has scored two centuries and five fifties for Kerala. He once hit five consecutive sixes in an over against Hyderabad. He is a mentor to Indian wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson, and serves the game as a coach.

Sony Cheruvathoor unveils the jersey of two-times champions CHMM College, Varkala

Sony Cheruvathoor, an all-rounder who captained Kerala from 2007 to 2012, was the fastest player to take 100 wickets for the state. He was also the second Kerala player, after Sreesanth, to take a hat-trick. Now, he contributes to the game as a coach and a respected cricket analyst for radio and television.

Sundar, Santosh, former Kerala player Hareesh and Sony unveil the IGSA UAE team jersey

I was nostalgic when M.G. College, Trivandrum, received their team jersey, as I had once captained this college. S. Santosh and Kerala opener J.Y. Godwin were part of my team then.

Delighted to be honoured with a plaque and a shawl

Watching the University College collect their jersey reminded me of the late legendary poet O.N.V. Kurup, who was a lecturer there and with whom I have interacted on many occasion. His lyrics, madhurikkum ormakale … malar manchal kondu varu.. kondupoku njangeleya.. manchuvattil, seems to perfectly capture AKCAF’s purpose in creating this forum.

Chief Guest Nizar Thalangara, President Sharjah Indian Association addresses the gathering

AKCAF’s unity is so strong that they have entered the Guinness Book of World Records three times through their various initiatives.

Issac John, Chief Patron

In 2019, they staged the UAE Flower of Tolerance, creating the largest natural flower carpet, surpassing a record previously held by Italy. They spread 55 tons of fresh flowers over 5,426.65 square meters.

V.S. Biju Kumar, General Secretary, known for his organisational acumen, addresses the gathering

In 2021, they distributed 55,000 freshly prepared food packets to labor camps during Iftar.

In 2024, on World Diabetes Day, they collaborated with Aster Healthcare to record the most pre-diabetes/diabetes screenings—14,000 people in 24 hours.

The ladies wing that works hard to ensure everything is in place

The APL tournament is organised by a team made up of

General Convener- Biju Krishnan

Biju Krishnan - General Convener

Joint Secretary / APL Excom- Amir Kallatra

APL Excom - Sumish Saralappan and Siyad Salahudeen

APL Joint General Conveners - Gokul Jayachandran, Bony Varghese, Maya Biju

APL Sponsorship- Ramal Narayanan Sponsorship Coordinator- Sudheer Poyyara, Sponsorship Excom.

Charles Paul, President

The Ladies wing is made up of

Rani Sudheer – LW Chairperson Vidhya Puthusseri – LW President

Reshmy Issac – LW General Secretary.

Anoop Anil Devan - Chief Co-ordinator

This year, CHMM College, Varkala, will aim for a hat-trick of titles, having won the second and third editions. The inaugural championship was claimed by Govinda Pai College, Kasaragod.