The 124th Dream Sports-Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA) Giles Shield inter-school final is set to unfold at Brabourne Stadium, Churchgate, on Tuesday, featuring a captivating showdown between Dnyandeep Seva Mandal (Nerul) and Swami Vivekanand International School (SVIS), Borivli.
Dnyandeep enters this three-day final brimming with confidence after defeating SVIS in the league phase through a first-innings lead. This marks their second consecutive final appearance, having been the runners-up to Dr Ambedkar Vidyalaya (Vikrohli) last season. Coach Abdul Khan emphasizes that his team is determined to overcome last year’s disappointment. “We’ve devised our strategies and worked diligently on our weaknesses. As last year’s runners-up, the players understand what it takes to reach this level. Having faced SVIS in the league and performed better, my boys are confident about securing a win,” Khan shared with mid-day.
Meanwhile, SVIS, the 2019 Giles Shield champions, are no strangers to the pressures of big matches. The Borivli team believes that their previous league match result against Dnyandeep won’t influence the final outcome. “We trust in our capabilities and have addressed our shortcomings. Season statistics are irrelevant; what truly counts is winning the final, and we are ready for the challenge,” stated SVIS coach Lalu Yadav to mid-day.