30-Ball century lights up Dream Again cricket League Pune player bagged Man of the Series

Vaibhav Mahadik

The passion for cricket never truly fades. However, due to age, professional commitments and family responsibilities, many players are forced to move away from the game they love. Yet the desire to step back onto the field and relive those moments always remains alive.

To give such cricket lovers an opportunity to reconnect with the sport, Dream Events Management organised the special "Dream Again League" for players in the 35 to 50-plus age group.

The league was conceptualised by Kolhapur-based former state-level cricketer and architect Abhay Sonawane. Trials were conducted across Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Thane, receiving an overwhelming response from thousands of passionate cricketers. Selected players later represented their respective city teams in the tournament.

Speaking about the initiative, Abhay Sonawane said, "Having played cricket at the state level during my younger days, I always dreamed of taking the sport further. But family responsibilities and professional commitments eventually took priority. Still, there are many players like me whose passion and determination for cricket remain unchanged even at a later stage in life. The Dream Again League was created to provide such players with a platform to relive their passion for the game."

The tournament was held from May 19 to 23 at the Sanjay Ghodawat Stadium in Kolhapur. In the first season finale, Pune Fighters faced Hyderabad Pearl in an exciting title clash, with Hyderabad emerging as champions. However, the player who grabbed maximum attention throughout the tournament was Pune Fighters' star batter, Vaibhav Mahadik.

A resident of Pimpri-Chinchwad, Vaibhav Mahadik delivered a remarkable performance in the tournament, winning both the "Man of the Series" and "Best Batsman" awards. He played a crucial role in guiding Pune Fighters to the final with his explosive batting performances.

Mahadik created one of the biggest highlights of the tournament by smashing a blistering century in just 30 balls, registering the fastest hundred of the league. He also contributed heavily in other crucial matches, scoring important runs that helped his team secure victories.

An engineering graduate, Mahadik had earlier won medals at national-level school cricket tournaments. Later, while working in the IT sector, he continued playing competitive corporate cricket. Driven by his deep passion for the game and a desire to nurture young talent, he eventually left his IT career and started the "Vedik Fit Cricket Club" in Nigdi.

For the past four years, the academy, run within the premises of a school for hearing and speech-impaired students, has been training more than 100 boys and girls between the ages of eight and nineteen. Several students trained under his guidance have gone on to achieve success at state and national-level competitions.

Vaibhav Mahadik's performance in the Dream Again League not only highlighted his personal achievement but also proved that age is just a number. With determination, discipline and passion, dreams connected to cricket can always be lived once again.