AZB & Partners captures top glory in Mumbai lawyers’ football tournament

The tournament was initiated by the Bombay Bar Association, and eight teams from various law firms in the city participated in it

Mumbai: Sunday marked the culmination of the 12th Bombay Gymkhana Lawyers’ Football Championship, a novel football tournament spread over two days wherein nearly 400 lawyers including men and women displayed their skills on the field instead of the courtroom. The event this year was special, as it marked the first time when a team from Delhi was a participant. The top spot in the men’s and women’s categories, however, were clinched by the Bombay-based AZB & Partners and Khaitan & Co respectively, who were presented a trophy each by justice Riyaz Chagla from the Bombay high court.

AZB Legal captures top glory in lawyers’ football tournament

The Justice Chagla Cup, presented to AZB Legal which topped the men’s category, was named after justice Riyaz Chagla’s grandfather Mohammedali Curim Chagla, who served as the first Indian chief justice of Bombay high court from 1947 to 1958. The tournament was initiated by the Bombay Bar Association, and eight teams from various law firms in the city participated in it. The association has since organised 11 more editions, with Wadia Gandhy & Co stepping in as the sponsor since last year.

This year, the number of competing teams reached a record high – 45 teams with six players each in the men’s category and 24 teams with five players each in the women’s category, said Farhan Dubash, secretary of the Bombay Bar Association. Men’s and women’s teams were divided into groups of three, and the best team from each group competed for the winner’s cup, while the second and third teams competed for the Wadia Gandhy & Co plate and the Wadia Gandhy & Co bowl, respectively.

“This year was special since the Delhi Bar Association’s team travelled all the way to Mumbai for the first time. The Advocates Association of Western India also pitched in with three teams,” said Dubash.

Shivanand Nayak, captain of the AZB Legal squad which won the top glory in the men’s category thanked every player in the team for their “consistent practice”.

“We practiced every Thursday after office on a turf nearby,” he said. The team faced difficulties in finding grass fields for practice since most of football grounds have switched to turf, he noted, adding, “But we adapted to the conditions well.”

Kanika Sharma, captain of the Khaitan & Co squad, which won the top spot in the women’s category, said though none of the players in the team were professional players, they had really bonded well.

“We were the runner’s up in the previous year’s tournament. This year, we cruised through the championship without losing a single game,” said Sharma.