Revamped Aziz Damani spread wings beyond cricket borders
Clear Vision. Club owner Aziz Damani (center in shades), captain Ghulam Hunzai (5th L) and CEO Siva Koti Reddy (2nd R) have set out a plan that will see the club grow from strength to strength as a sports club. The club also unveiled two new signings Emmanuel Isaneez (L) and Kenneth Waisawa (4th R).
PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
- Cricket. CEO Siva Koti Reddy announced that Aziz Damani will become a sports club under a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) status and spread its wings to other disciplines like tennis, football and badminton. Damani will also extend a helping hand to several charities in Uganda.
KAMPALA. Like many Asian-oriented clubs, Aziz Damani has attained commendable success within the short spell spent in the Ugandan cricket ecosystem thus far.
Only formed two years ago, Aziz Damani Cricket Club boast of four honours.
The latest is the UCA Super Cup title after the 2016 Division Two champions beat topflight kings Tornado Bee by five wickets won at Lugogo Oval on Saturday.
The challenge with most of these clubs is they fade away with time and some go extinct like Destroyers. However, Aziz Damani CEO Siva Koti Reddy opines otherwise.
“We want to stay here for a long haul like Tornado and Wanderers,” Koti said shortly after the win over Tornado Bee.
He went on to further announce Damani will become a sports club under a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) status and stretch its tentacles to other disciplines like tennis, football and badminton.
“Our plan is to adopt a school which is not under good conditions and make it with better facilities like good toilets and proper benches,” Koti explained.
“We intend to get them a good playing ground which in turn can encourage youngsters in villages to play. In 2018, we hope to have laid ground for a football club that can compete in the local league tiers.”
New signings
Shortly after, Koti unveiled club new signings in Kenneth Waiswa from Nile and Emmanuel Isaneez from Patidar Samaj. “Satisfaction will come if we win the topflight league this season.” Koti added, similar words echoed by club’s senior player and Cricket Cranes vice captain Brian Masaba.
Prior, medium pacer Waiswa had picked 3 for 20 and Kenyan veteran Steve Tikolo snared 3/16 as Damani bowled out Tornado Bee for 106 runs in 40 overs.
The latter returned an unbeaten knock of 32 runs off 33 balls to give Damani victory with five wickets in hand.
Damani is the most sponsored club with partners in Gittoes Pharmaceuticals, Duke Water, ABC, Ketan Shukla, Balaji Group East Africa, SR Group, Dembe Enterprises, KLR Uganda and Subhagruha India PVT.
UCA SUPER CUP
Tornado Bee 106/10 A. Damani 107/5
(Aziz Damani won by five wickets)
AZIZ DAMANI TROPHY CABINET
2017: UCA Super Cup winners
2016: Kishor Pabari Memorial champions
2016: UCA National League Division II winners
2015: Night Cricket Tournament champions
