Barbil Hosts First Under-16 Cricket Tournament, Barbil Tiger Crowned Champions
Keonjhar: Barbil town in Kendujhar district witnessed a historic sporting event as the first-ever Under-16 Cricket Tournament concluded successfully at Vikas Mahal. The competition featured six teams comprising talented players under the age of 16 from across the district.
The Final Showdown
The grand finale saw Barbil Tiger clash with OMC in a thrilling contest. Batting first, Barbil Tiger posted a competitive total of 161 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs.
– Captain Angad Singh Lotia led from the front with a fine knock of 39 runs off 34 balls, hitting one six and seven boundaries.
– His opening partner, Devanshu Ranjan, contributed 21 runs, while Sai Shaswat Khuntia added a fighting 33 runs.
For OMC, Kishan Bin impressed with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for 18 runs in his 4-over spell. Abhay Singh and Deepak Vishwakarma picked up two wickets each, while Rohit and Divyanshu chipped in with one wicket apiece.
OMC’s Chase
Chasing 162, OMC suffered early setbacks but fought back through the middle order.
– Suraj Kumar Sahu played an aggressive cameo of 25 runs off 14 balls, smashing three sixes.
– Alok Kumar Keshri kept hopes alive with a spirited 56-run innings off 36 balls, including three sixes and seven boundaries.
– Kishan Bin added 24 runs, but the rest of the batting lineup faltered.
Barbil Tiger’s disciplined bowling attack restricted OMC to 148 runs in 19.4 overs, sealing a memorable victory.
Bowling Heroes
Barbil Tiger’s bowlers rose to the occasion:
– Ayush Kumar Keshri bagged 3 wickets for 25 runs in 3.4 overs.
– Sawan Kumar Sahu and MD Shahabuddin claimed two wickets each, while Kunal picked up one.
Awards and Recognition
Despite OMC’s defeat, Alok Kumar Keshri was named Man of the Match for his brilliant half-century. The Barbil Tiger team lifted the championship trophy, while OMC received the runners-up award. Individual performers from various matches were also felicitated.
Distinguished Guests
The closing ceremony was graced by Barbil SDPO Debendra Nath Pingua as the chief guest. Other dignitaries included Biswaranjan Sahu (Transport Department), Sonu Gupta of Riddhikon Logistics, and Parimal Chatterjee, BJP Barbil Mandal President.
Tournament organiser Chandrakant Das highlighted that the event was conducted with due ball to encourage competitive cricket among youngsters. He assured that more such tournaments will be organised in the future to nurture local talent.
This marks a proud moment for Barbil, as the town not only celebrated its first Under-16 cricket tournament but also showcased the rising stars of Kendujhar’s cricketing future.
