Bengaluru, Dec 15: Manipal Academy of Higher Education Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, successfully concluded the month-long Corporate Cricket Championship 2025 with a spectacular grand finale held today at the MAHE Bengaluru Campus. The tournament, which commenced on November 16, featured 16 exciting T20 white-ball matches and brought together teams from 12 leading corporate organizations, including Deloitte, EY, HPE, J. P. Morgan, KPMG, Manipal Hospitals, Microsoft, Microland, Novo Nordisk, Salesforce, Thomson Reuters, and Unisys.
The tournament followed a competitive four-pool format, ensuring that each participating organization played two league matches, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals held on December 13, culminating in today’s championship decider. The much-anticipated final witnessed an exciting encounter between Manipal Hospitals and KPMG. Winning the toss, Manipal Hospitals elected to bat first and posted a competitive total of 157 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted 20 overs, showcasing solid batting performances and strategic gameplay. In reply, KPMG mounted a spirited chase but fell short of the target, managing 133 runs for 9 wickets in their 20 overs. This result enabled Manipal Hospitals to emerge as the champions of the MAHE Corporate Cricket Championship 2025, capping off the tournament on a high note.
Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, VSM (Retd), Vice Chancellor, MAHE, presided over the event as the Chief Guest. Other distinguished dignitaries present at the finale included Dr. Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MLHS & MAHE Bengaluru; Dr. Anand Venugopal, COO, MAHE Manipal; Dr. Avinash Shetty, Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital; Dr. Sudhakar Kantipudi, COO, Manipal Cluster; and Dr. Raghavendra Prabhu, Additional Registrar, MAHE Bengaluru.
Emphasizing the tournament as a platform that reinforces MAHE’s vision for meaningful industry partnerships, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE observed, “Every year, MAHE adopts a specific theme, and 2025 has been designated as the Year of Excellence and Industry-Academia Collaboration. We are extremely pleased that the tournament unfolded exactly as envisioned, and I extend my compliment to the entire organizing committee. Sports play a vital role in all-round development, and I offer my special thanks to today’s finalists, KPMG and Manipal Hospitals.”
Reflecting on the tournament as a celebration of sport and industry togetherness, Prof. Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor, MAHE Bengaluru & MLHS, noted, “I congratulate KPMG on an outstanding performance. During one of the live matches, Richie Benaud was once asked by Mark Nicholas, ‘What is the difference between T20 and Test cricket?’ He replied, ‘In a Test match, the father takes the son, but in T20, the son takes the father.’ This perfectly captures the spirit of the format. We would love to see more corporate families at the ground, and we hope that next year even more families will come and enjoy the matches together.”
Dr. Raghavendra Prabhu, Additional Registrar, MAHE Bengaluru, also addressed the gathering, applauding the spirit of sportsmanship and corporate collaboration demonstrated throughout the tournament. The victory was celebrated with great enthusiasm as Manipal Hospitals lifted the championship trophy, marking a fitting and memorable conclusion to an outstanding event.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by Harish Kumar, Corporate Head, who expressed gratitude to all participating organizations, the organizing committee, match officials, and the MAHE leadership for making the Corporate Cricket Championship 2025 a resounding success. The tournament not only celebrated sporting excellence but also strengthened bonds between industry and academia, leaving a legacy of collaboration and camaraderie