AJ Fitness Crowned Champions of Shiv Shakti Cricket Tournament 2025 in Barbil
Barbil (Kendujhar): The grand finale of the Shiv Shakti Cricket Tournament 2025 was played at the Bikas Mahal Ground, Barbil, where AJ Fitness emerged victorious against King Khan in a thrilling contest.
The event was graced by distinguished guests, including Barbil Municipality Chairman Laxman Mahanta, Executive Officer Ramesh Chandra Naik, and Police Station Inspector-In-Charge Ashok Kumar Naik, along with several municipal councillors and former cricket players.
The tournament organisers, Shiv Shakti Cricket Association, welcomed the guests with a formal introduction ceremony. In a symbolic gesture, each guest was invited to face a ball in batting before the match began.
Umpires Jethuram Patra, Buna Mohanty, & Match Referee Sunil Gupta conducted the toss, which AJ Fitness won, opting to field first and inviting King Khan to bat.
King Khan’s innings faltered early as AJ Fitness bowler Gentle Man struck in the second over, dismissing both openers.
The batting side struggled under relentless pressure, collapsing to 77 runs in 11.2 overs. Rajnikant Swain was the standout performer for King Khan, scoring 25 runs with three sixes.
AJ Fitness bowlers dominated the innings, Purushoth and Rais Jade claimed three wickets each, while Ritun Mohanty and Gentle Man picked up two apiece.
Chasing a modest target of 78, AJ Fitness showcased aggressive batting. Boogie played a scintillating knock of 45 runs off 26 balls, smashing eight boundaries and two sixes.
The winning moment came when Amarendra Samant struck a match-winning six, sealing victory in just 8.2 overs with two wickets down. King Khan’s bowlers, Pappu Yadav and Anjan Kumar Tamrekar, managed one wicket each.
The prize distribution ceremony added grandeur to the evening. The runners-up,p King Kha,n received a trophy and fifty thousand, while champions AJ Fitness were awarded a trophy and 1 lakh.
Individual honours were also presented: Manjeet Bharti of Samal Auto India was named Best Batsman, Purushoth of AJ Fitness was declared Best Bowler and Player of the Final and Bobby Thakur of King Khan was recognised for Best Fielding.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of Shiv Marbles founder Balram Gupta, who encouraged the players and distributed awards with other guests.
The tournament concluded on a high note, celebrating sportsmanship, community spirit, and the growing passion for cricket in Barbil.
