PANAJI
South Stallions, led by Sudhanva Udupa emerged champions while BPS Army, captained by Sparsh Kolwalkar finished runners-up at the Late Manohar Dhond Memorial All Stars Cup 2025, an exclusive Junior League Team Championship held at the Indoor Stadium, Campal, Panaji.
Organised by Dhond’s Sports Club and Panjim Smashers Club in collaboration with the Goa Badminton Association, the event brought together the very best of Goa’s emerging badminton talent in a professionally structured team league format. Palak Ramnathkar and Pragya Audi were pick of the Girl icon players who starred for the winners and runners up teams respectively.
The tournament featured 10 competitive franchise teams ” Ashers Smashers, Badminators, BPS Army, Chicalim Tigers, Dhond’s Daredevils, North Knights, Panjim Smashers, Shuttle Kings, South Stallions and Sparkling Stars ” and was conducted in a unique Swiss League format. The format produced nail-biting, evenly balanced contests, with the top four teams tied on three wins apiece, and the final placings ultimately decided by the narrowest of games won“lost margins. Most ties were decided by narrow 4“3 margins in the seven-doubles team format, keeping spectators and players engaged right till the final shuttle.
In the final standings, Chicalim Tigers, led by Shivam Prabhu Dessai with Girl Icon Komal Kothari, secured third place, while Shuttle Kings, captained by Shaurya Naik with Girl Icon Anaya Kamat, finished fourth. Promoters Harshad Dhond, Gaurish Dhond, GBA Treasurer Sanjay Bhobe, Sandeep Heble, former GBA Secretary, and Vinayak Kamat, GBA Coach graced the closing.
Winning squad: Arnav Ramnathkar, Ateendra Gaonkar, Ayansh Sanke, Govindraj Dessai, Harsheet Chari, Mihran Shaikh, Nivrutti Kapolkar, Palak Ramnathkar, Pihoo Redkar, Pratik Naik Borkar, Raj Dhume, Sudhanva Udupa (Captain), Vardha Kaisukar and Veer Phal Dessai
Runners up Squad: Aarav Rupesh Shirodkar, Aashman Dhaimodkar, Ayush Naik, K. Charan Siddharth, Laksh Swami, Malak Mullam, Pragya Audi, Pratyush Patil, Priyansh Dessai, Sambhavi Bhardwaj, Sparsh Kolwalkar (Captain), Varun Sahakari, Vihaan Naik and Yathin Devadiga
