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SC judges, advocates face off in cricket match; ends in tie
At the end of the night, there was no winning argument, no final verdict, just a fantastic display of cricketing camaraderie between the judiciary and the bar.
The battle between the bench and the bar took an unexpected turn on Sunday –– not in the courtroom, but on the cricket field. In a thrilling T20 match at the Capital’s Arun Jaitley stadium, judges from the Supreme Court and Delhi high court took on a team of lawyers, with both sides finishing at 126 runs, resulting in a rare tie –– something almost unheard of in their usual legal contests where one side must inevitably prevail.
Organised by the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAoRA), the match pitted the Chief Justice of India (CJI) XI against SCAoRA XI under floodlights. The judges, many of them well past their prime sporting years, proved that legal acumen is not their only forte as they put up a competitive total of 126 runs for 8 wickets after winning the toss.
Justices Dipankar Datta and MM Sundresh opened the innings, but by the ninth over, the judges were struggling at 51 for 5. It was then that CJI Sanjiv Khanna walked in, playing a captain’s knock alongside justice KV Viswanathan to stabilise the innings. Their partnership brought much-needed runs, allowing the judges to reach a respectable total.
Chasing 127 for victory, the lawyers’ team, led by advocate Vipin Nair , started aggressively. But the judges, determined to defend their score, kept their bowling tight and their fielding sharp. As wickets tumbled, the match came down to the wire, with SCAORA XI needing two runs off the final ball. A last-minute run-out sealed the tie, leaving both teams locked at 126 runs.
Sporting blue and orange jerseys, the judges put on an entertaining show, hitting cover drives, pull shots, and straight drives with finesse. Their bowling unit, featuring justices Manoj Misra, Vikram Nath and PS Narasimha, ensured the lawyers never had an easy chase.
CJI Sanjiv Khanna, who was adjudged “Best fighter of the game”, called the experience “a dream come true” and said: “Every Delhiite dreams of playing here, and today we got to live that dream. It’s not about the result but about the joy of the game.”
For their stellar performances, justice Sundresh was named Man of the Match, while other top awards –– Best batsman, best bowler and best fielder –– also went to players from the CJI XI.
This was the first day-night match featuring judges, and also the inaugural match of SCAORA’s new cricket league, organised by its President Vipin Nair, Vice President Amit Sharma, Secretary Nikhil Jain and Treasurer Aljo Joseph . Over the next few months, eight teams of lawyers, sponsored by senior advocates Dama Seshadri Naidu, PB Suresh, Sajan Poovayya, Devadutt Kamat, Buddy Ranganathan, Sitesh Mukherjee, Vikas Pahwa and Chinmoy Sharma, will battle it out in a series of T20 matches. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta played a key role in securing the ground, while DDCA president Rohan Jaitley ensured professional facilities, including umpires and commentators, making the game feel like an official tournament.
At the end of the night, there was no winning argument, no final verdict, just a fantastic display of cricketing camaraderie between the judiciary and the bar. And while ties are rare in the legal world, this one on the cricket field was celebrated as a victory for the spirit of the game.
