October 8th 2026, Thornton, COLORADO.
Inaugural CTCL Night Tournament Concludes in Spectacular Fashion
The Colorado Tennis Cricket League (CTCL) has officially solidified its place in local sports history with the successful culmination of its inaugural CTCL Night Tournament. Hosted at the esteemed Thornton Sports Complex (Thornton, CO 80229), the landmark event showcased non-stop action, high-stakes drama, and community celebration under the stadium lights.
This historic tournament marked a significant milestone for the venue, serving as the first tournament held at the complex following its grand opening in October 2025, spearheaded by West Indies cricket legend SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL and renowned cricket coach JATIN PATEL Cricket hall of famers.
From Left, Jatin Patel, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Jan Kulmann, Mayor a historical ribbin cutting moment for Colorado Cricket.
Ten teams participated in the tournament, each vying for the championship dream:
- Afghan Zalmi
- Apex XI
- Colorado Sharks – Fury
- Colorado Sharks – Venom
- Colorado Strikers
- Colorado Super Kings
- Mafia Boys
- Rockies Cricket
- Club Smokers XI
- TMKB
To maintain a high-stakes, engaging atmosphere, the CTCL employed the Swedish Format. Under this competitive structure, lower-ranked teams retained a viable path to the Top 4 even after their initial three league matches, ensuring thrilling contests right up to the knockout stages. The tournament, which reflected the league’s spirit of diversity and inclusion, brought together players from Nepal, Afghanistan, and India, united by a shared passion for the game.
The tournament kicked off on July 26th, setting the stage for a thrilling season. Action resumed with intensity on September 18th, 19th, and 20th, culminating in the ultimate showdown—the Semi-Finals and Finals—held on October 2nd, 2026.
Semi-Final 1: Smokers XI faced off against Colorado Sharks – Venom in a hard-fought encounter, with Sharks – Venom advancing to the final.
Semi-Final 2: Rockies Cricket Club (RCC) faced off against Colorado Strikers, with RCC emerging victorious to secure their spot in the title match.
The Grand Finale: Rockies Cricket Club Claims the Crown
The championship final delivered everything cricket fans could have asked for as Rockies Cricket Club met Colorado Sharks – Venom. Batting first in a high-tempo 6-over shootout, RCC set a daunting target of 69 runs. In response, Colorado Sharks – Venom put up a brave chase but ultimately fell 18 runs short against a disciplined RCC defense. With that clinical performance, Rockies Cricket Club officially crowned themselves the inaugural CTCL Night Tournament Champions.
Champions: Rockies Cricket Club with CTCL officials
RCC Team Members:
- Abhinav Kidambi
- Gokul Nambiar
- Jai Choudhary
- Om Girdhar
- Philips Antoine Gilbert
- Pravinbalaji Anand
- Sujith Gopal
- Sateeshkumar Dhanasekaran
- Surendar Malreddy
- Vasudev Gulapalli
- Velmurugan Manoharan
- Zameer Sayed
Runners-up: Colorado Sharks – Venom
Colorado Sharks- Venom Team Members:
- Darshith Karkera
- Arunkumar Harikrishnasamy
- Praveen Narayan
- Anant Gurung
- Sarvesh Prabhu
- Pridhvi Dandu
- Amjid Khan
- Shah Nawaz
- Subhashish Dash
- Rahul Ahire
- Gandhar Vaidya
- Gourav Kokate
- Krishna Vidhan
Individual Excellence Awards
While RCC took home the trophy, outstanding individual performances shone throughout the tournament:
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🏏 Best Batsman: Jai Choudhary (Rockies Cricket Club) – Recognized for his explosive and consistent run-scoring throughout the campaign.
⚾ Best Bowler: Nivid Phatak (Colorado Strikers) – Awarded for his clutch bowling displays and crucial breakthroughs.
🖐️ Best Wicketkeeper: Arunkumar Harikrishnasamy (Colorado Sharks – Venom) – Honored for sharp, reliable work behind the stumps.
Heartfelt Gratitude & Special Thanks
An event of this magnitude relies on the dedication and support of key partners:
- City of Thornton: A special note of gratitude to the City of Thornton for providing the world-class Thornton Sports Complex facility, making this groundbreaking night tournament possible.
- Neutral Umpire: A sincere thank you to Balaji Meenakshisundaram, who generously opted in as the neutral umpire for the entire duration of the tournament, ensuring fair play and integrity throughout.
- Food Partner: Immense gratitude to Bombay Junction for powering players and fans with delicious food across all match days.
Driven by the CTCL Leadership
The seamless execution and resounding success of the tournament stand as a testament to the hard work and vision of the CTCL Executive Committee:
- Geo George Vadakkan – President
- Paramasivam Thiyagarajan – Joint Secretary
- Manoj Gangwar – Treasurer
- Gopikrishna Thatipamula – Social Media Manager
- Praveen Gaikwad – Secretary
Congratulations to all participating teams, individual award winners, and the entire CTCL community for making the first-ever Colorado Tennis Cricket League Night Tournament an unforgettable triumph!