A team named France All Blacks Sports Club comprising Sri Lankan expatriates won what was called the European Championship Softball Cricket Tournament held in Paris recently.
The tournament was organized by the Sri Lankan expatriate community living in Europe and the tournament had teams from Switzerland, Italy and France.
In a thrilling finale, the France All Blacks team emerged as champions, claiming the coveted championship Cup after an intense match against Swiss Sports Club.
The third-place contest had the France All Blacks B team take on Italy and the former won the match.
Speaking at the event, All Blacks Sports Club President Razadi Zhiyaur Saly expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved. “We are deeply thankful to our sponsors, participants, spectators and supporters who made this event such a tremendous success. It was our pleasure to provide this platform for showcasing cricketing talent, and we are proud of how far the sport has come in France and beyond,” he said.
Individual performances were equally celebrated, with Mohamed Zanhar of the All Blacks Sports Club sweeping the accolades, including Man of the Match, Best Batsman, and the Maximum Sixes Award.
Saheem from the Swiss Sports Club was recognized as Best Bowler while Abdullah (Hafiz) earned the prestigious Star Player award. Other notable acknowledgements included Jiffry as the Most Handsome Batsman, Shan for Best Fielding and Mustaq as the Emerging Young Player.
The tournament also honoured key contributors to the event’s success with Ramlan receiving recognition for management and organization and Sajath being awarded for his role as announcer. Special thanks were extended to Makarim, Bathusha, Anoos, Thanis, Fawmy, Isam, Arshad, and Shabir for their invaluable efforts in bringing the event to life.
A vibrant and enthusiastic crowd gathered to witness the matches.
