Parents and players were left surprised by a change in format at the Dream Sports Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA) inter-school <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/doubles-stars-satwiksairaj-rankireddy-and-chirag-shetty-go-down-in-denmark-open-23655107" rel="nofollow">badminton</a> tournament at the Bombay Gymkhana on Monday.
Traditionally played in a best-of-three-games format, with each game comprising 21 points, the tournament has been shortened to a single game of 15 points this year. Parents expressed disappointment, questioning whether it was worth missing an entire school day for a match lasting just one game.
<img title="MSSA secretary Sebastian Fernandes" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/oct/Parents-miffed-b_1792546354_s.jpg" alt="MSSA secretary Sebastian Fernandes" width="1280" height="720" />MSSA secretary Sebastian Fernandes
&ldquo;It does not make sense to play only one match a day, and that too comprising a single game. We parents are staying away from work, while the children are missing an entire day of school for just one match,&rdquo; Nigam Haria, father of Zia Haria of Don Bosco International School (Matunga), told mid-day. Zia beat Seher Mehta of Gopi Birla Memorial School (Walkeshwar) 15-5 in the second round.
Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, felt the shortened format left players with little scope to stage a comeback.
&ldquo;Some players are slow starters and tend to get into a rhythm as the match progresses, which is possible in the second or third game. But here, with just one game, a bad start can end things pretty quickly,&rdquo; the parent said.
<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/mssa-inter-school-tennis-tournament-jamnabai-narsee-school-yuvaan-bajaj-storms-into-final-23652913" rel="nofollow">MSSA</a> secretary Sebastian Fernandes attributed the change to time constraints and the large number of participants.
&ldquo;We have received 1700 entries across 10 age-group categories this year. Last month, we scheduled the U-16 competition at Garodia International School [Ghatkopar] and Kanakia International School [Chembur], followed by the U-10, U-12 and U-14 competitions at Bombay Gymkhana. We also have time restrictions. We can&rsquo;t extend the schedule as schools have their own activities, such as festivals and examinations. From the quarter-finals onwards, we will introduce the best-of-three-games format,&rdquo; Fernandes said.

Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, felt the shortened format left players with little scope to stage a comeback

Parents miffed by 15-point, single game format at MSSA badminton tourney

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Home / Sports / Other Sports / Article / Parents miffed by 15-point, single game format at MSSA badminton tourney

Parents miffed by 15-point, single game format at MSSA badminton tourney

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