Northeast Desk, 7th January: Manipur erupted in joy as their U-16 boys’ cricket team on January 5th, 2024 secured a momentous triumph, clinching the BCCI Men’s U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy for the 2023-24 season. This remarkable achievement marked Manipur’s inaugural championship title in the Plate Group category of the prestigious tournament.
The young cricketers demonstrated their prowess by convincingly defeating Meghalaya with an impressive margin—an innings and 35 runs—at Keenan Stadium in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
The Chief Minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh, alongside other dignitaries such as BJP legislator and President of the Manipur Cricket Association (MNCA), RK Imo Singh, expressed immense pride and extended heartfelt congratulations to the victorious team. In recognition of the extraordinary accomplishment, RK Imo Singh announced a generous reward of Rs 5 lakh for the team and the support staff. A grand felicitation event is scheduled to honor the triumphant team in Imphal on January 9th.
The U-16 team’s success resonates with the achievements of the Manipur senior men’s team, which made history by securing promotion to the Ranji Trophy Elite Group. The junior team’s stellar performance included outstanding bowling figures from players like Md Danish and Naesh Hussain, with skipper Sougaijam Robinson contributing a stellar unbeaten century in the final match.
Manipur’s journey to the trophy was marked by comprehensive group-stage victories against Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya, as well as a draw with Sikkim, leading them to top their group. Their dominance continued into the semi-finals, securing an innings and 114-run victory against Mizoram before facing Meghalaya in the finals.
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