Srinagar: Hosts NIT Srinagar successfully defended their All-India Inter-NIT Faculty and Staff Cricket Tournament (Men) title, defeating NIT Puducherry by 88 runs in the final to clinch a record fourth championship.
Batting first after winning the toss, NIT Srinagar posted 187/4 in 20 overs, powered by an unbeaten 64 off 32 balls from Suhail Baba and a 50 off 38 deliveries by Aaqib Sheikh. Captain Faisal Irshad contributed 29.
In reply, NIT Puducherry were bowled out for 99 in 18.1 overs. Muthu top-scored with 41, while Murugapandi S remained unbeaten on 16.
NIT Srinagar’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Dr Mohsin returning figures of 3/13 and Dr Majid Hussain claiming 3/26. Dr Shakeel Waseem picked up two wickets, while Mudasir Qadir and Shahid Hamid claimed one each.
Suhail Baba was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten half-century and a wicket. Aaqib Sheikh was adjudged Best Batsman and Player of the Tournament after scoring 364 runs, including two centuries and a half-century. Ismail M of NIT Puducherry was named Best Bowler with 11 wickets, while Akash Sharma of NIT Hamirpur received the Best Fielder award.
Congratulating the winners, NIT Srinagar Director Prof. Binod Kumar Kanaujia praised the team for retaining the title and lauded the organising committee for successfully hosting the national tournament.
Earlier, NIT Hamirpur secured third place with a 16-run victory over NIT Jalandhar in the playoff. Hamirpur scored 155/6 before restricting Jalandhar to 139/7. Captain Surender Soni led the batting with 39, while Aman Kumar and Soni claimed two wickets each.
