IA & AD West Zone Football Tournament Set to Commence in Nagpur
The Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA & AD) West Zone football tournament is all set to kick off at the South East Central Railway Stadium in Motibagh, Nagpur, starting this Monday. This exciting five-day sporting event is being organized under the auspices of the Office of the Accountant General (Audit–II), Maharashtra, based in Nagpur.
Teams and Tournament Format
Hosts and defending champions, AG Maharashtra, will be joined by teams from Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan in a competitive league-cum-knockout format. All five squads will vie for top honors, showcasing their skills and teamwork on the field.
Inauguration and Opening Matches
The tournament will be officially inaugurated by Deepak Kumar Gupta, the Divisional Railway Manager of SECR, Nagpur. In the opening match, the home team, AG Maharashtra, will face off against Rajasthan. Following this, Gujarat will square up against Madhya Pradesh in the second league encounter, setting the stage for an action-packed start.
Path to the Inter-Zonal Tournament
The stakes are high, as the winner and runner-up teams from this West Zone tournament will qualify for the prestigious IA & AD Inter-Zonal football tournament. This larger event is scheduled to be held in Kolkata from March 23 to 27, offering a platform for regional champions to compete at a national level.
Maharashtra Team Roster and Support Staff
The Maharashtra team, led by captain Sumit Pundir, boasts a strong lineup of players including:
- Pawan Rawat
- Ashish
- Bilal Sheikh
- Sukhdeep Singh Sahota
- Raju Aknath Gaikwad
- Afzal Akhtar
- Nachiket Palav
- Jang Bahadur
- Akbar Siddhique
- Alim Sheikh
- David Francis
- Momin Hashmi
- Naquib Akhtar
- Anirban Pal
- Suryabali Yadav
- Aakar Dhanu
- Zahid Akhtar
Coaching the team is Rajendra Singh Negi, with Mohammad Asif serving as the manager, ensuring strategic guidance and support throughout the tournament.
