Published: March 28, 2026 at 5:09 pm
It turned out to be a dream run for Charminar Cricket Club this season. Some seasons are about wins and some are about losses, but some seasons are about something far deeper. It is about belief, resilience and destiny. This was such a season for Charminar, who remained unbeaten in the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s (HCA) B Division till the final against Imperial Cricket Club.
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The long season had also taken a heavy toll on the Charminar players and in the final, they had to do without some of their regular players, who were out with injuries. In fact, on the final day of the final, they had only nine players to man the field, but they still did not give up and fought bravely till the end. The fact that they lost by just one wicket speaks volumes of their resilience.
Charminar Cricket Club team, which lost the HCA B Division (2-day) league final to Imperial CC, with vice-president Syed Abdul Bari (sitting second from left) and treasurer Mohammed Saif Ahmed (sitting second from right)
The season began with a promise to the players and also the sponsors. A promise that this team would rise above circumstances and reclaim its rightful place. And rise they did. Charminar was the only unbeaten team in the group stages of the B Division (two-day) League. Nine matches and nine dominant performances. They defeated strong, reputed teams and stormed into the semifinals directly, thanks to a superior net run rate.
Imperial pull off a nail-biting one-wicket win over Charminar to be crowned B Div champs
The final against Imperial CC was a true spectacle. It turned out to be a constant see-saw battle played in great spirit. Even after missing four key players, including the captain, Charminar fought till the very end. The result may not have gone their way, but the larger mission was already achieved. The mission to be promoted to A Division was achieved.
Charminar gave Siraj the break, rest is history
For years, Charminar Cricket Club has consistently produced quality cricketers but a promotion to the A Division remained elusive. Secretary Mahboob Ahmed had an eye for talent, and he offered an unknown commodity called Mohammed Siraj the chance to play for his team in the HCA league. Siraj till then had never played red-ball cricket. The only cricket he played was with the tennis ball on the local maidans. But Mahboob Ahmed saw him play and instantly knew that he had struck gold. The rest, as they say, is history. Siraj is now one of India’s top pace bowlers.
Charminar CC secretary Mahboob Ahmed had an eye for talent, and he offered an unknown commodity called Mohammed Siraj the chance to play for his team in the HCA league and the rest is history
Then came the turning point for Charminar. Aarya Udupa, despite representing Hyderabad at Under-16 and Under-19 levels, was denied an opportunity to play in the A Division due to off-field circumstances. Instead of stepping back, a bold decision was made. Aarya and his family approached Mahboob Ahmed and offered to bring about a change to club cricket in Hyderabad.
Siddu Nayak bags five wickets to help Imperial restrict Charminar to 397 in B Division final
That vision found strong backing from the Mocherla Bhaskara Rao Foundation, who supported the team in its pursuit of excellence by providing structure, professionalism, and belief. Soon a system was built in to imbibe a professional culture.
A system of recognition established
A system of recognition was introduced, and awards were announced to motivate the players. Every man of the match would earn Rs 5,000 and the man of the series would get Rs 50,000. This wasn’t just about rewards but a way of respecting performance and creating accountability.
Varun Dhatrak (152 runs & 21 wickets) won the Man of the Series award in the two-day league
The players lapped up the offers, and the season saw multiple players step up and showcase their talent. Anshul Modi was the highest scorer with 451 runs, 2 centuries included. Tanush Reddy & Ujjwal Yadav scored 300+ runs each. Thanmai Krishna bagged 27 wickets was selected for the Hyderabad Under-19 side. Varun Dhatrak was the most consistent match-winner and bagged 21 wickets. Aarya Udupa bagged 17 wickets in red-ball cricket and came up with strong performances in the Under-23 probables’ matches.
Thanmai Krishna, Anshul Modi, Ujjwal Yadav, Varun Dhatrak, Tanush Reddy and Aarya Udupa were selected for the state probables matches and Vaibhav was selected for the Osmania University team.
This was not just a team anymore, but it had turned into a pipeline of future stars.
Building a strong internal culture
The team built a strong internal culture with clear roles for every player. It also ensured stability in the playing XI and there was backing and security for individuals. This created a unit that didn’t just play matches. It played with purpose and trust.
Aarya Udupa (155 runs & 2 wickets) was named the Man of the Series in the T20 series
Charminar boys have lost the final, but they won a future. They broke barriers while building a system and they fulfilled a promise. This was not just a season, but it was the meeting of destinies and for Charminar Cricket Club, this is only the beginning.
Roll of Honour: Team Achievement:
Finalists – B Division Two-Day League Championship
Two-Day League: Man of the Match winners (₹5,000 each)
vs Vijay Hanuman: Tanush Reddy
vs Agarwal Seniors: Anshul Modi
vs Gouds XI: Thanmai Krishna
vs Hyderabad Union: Ujjwal Yadav
vs Karimnagar: Varun Dhatrak
vs Manchester: Thanmai Krishna
vs Oxford Blues: Aarya Udupa
vs Apex: Thanmai Krishna
vs Raju CC: Aditya Singh Rathore & Sheikh Mudassir (100 & 5 wickets each)
Man of the Series (Two-Day League) ₹50,000: Varun Dhatrak (152 runs & 21 wickets)
T20: Man of the Match winners (₹5,000 each):
vs Hyderabad Blues: Varun Dhatrak
vs Agarwal Seniors: Nithin Varma
vs PKMCC: Sheikh Mudassir
vs Vijay Hanuman: Sahil Singh
T20 Man of the Series (₹50,000): Aarya Udupa (155 runs & 2 wickets)
