Kerala Overseas Cricketers: Strengthening camaraderie

Since its inception in 2013, KOC has been organising a 'Friendship Cup' cricket tournament every year

Kerala Overseas Cricketers (KOC) took part in the Forty Force tournament conducted by the Dubai Cricket Council and crowned champions. KOC beat Dubai Mammoths in the finals held at Rugby Sevens on May 23, 2019. PG Sundar was declared the 'Man of the Match', and Vinan Nair was adjudged the Man of the Series. KOC is eagerly looking forward to the Friendship Cup in Dec 2019. 
Rejee Mohan, Captain, KOC said: "KOC is a group of former cricketers who represented Kerala state in the Ranji Trophy as well as various age groups during the 80s and 90s. KOC players are currently based all over the globe, predominantly in the GCC and the Far East.
The concept of KOC evolved in 2013 to bring all former Kerala state cricketers under one umbrella to revive and strengthen their camaraderie. KOC is purely a sports-oriented cluster to foster friendship and mutual respect
among members."
Since its inception in 2013, KOC has been organising a 'Friendship Cup' cricket tournament every year. It is generally held in different venues in Kerala with the support of the Kerala Veterans Cricket Association (KVCA), a group of former Kerala State cricketers who are residing in Kerala and Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). 
Since the Friendship Cup has been a great success, the overall outlook of KOC has changed, and as a result, this initiative has incidentally inspired Veterans Cricket Association of Kerala to start the All Kerala Veterans Premier League for ex-state players over the age of 40.
"As far as the players are concerned, KOC's platform provides them with an excellent opportunity to interact with each other all over again and enjoy the game of cricket that would renew warmth and old friendship. It also brings in heaps of nostalgic memories as well as the fulfilment of the long-cherished dream of playing against their former teammates and friends all over again," added Mohan.
Social Commitment and Charity initiatives: As a part of fulfilling its goal of supporting society, KOC had supported various government registered charity organisations such as Pain and Palliative Organisation, Calicut and SARSAS (Save a rupee Save a smile) Trivandrum, an old-age home and a rehabilitation centre named 'Tharavad' in Tellicherry.
KOC supported fellow former Ranji cricketer's mother for her cancer treatment in 2015. It supported budding cricketers who are from a humble background by providing them with cricket gears. One of them went on to represent Chennai Super Kings in IPL. 
- suchitra@khaleejtimes.com

• Supplements