- Aaqib Sheikh’s unbeaten 103 off 33 balls powers record chase in just 6.4 overs
- Jalandhar, Uttarakhand, Hamirpur, and Calicut register commanding victories across venues
- Puducherry–Bhopal thriller ends in tie as VNIT Nagpur edges Silchar in low-scoring contest
Srinagar :The All India Inter-NIT Faculty & Staff Cricket Tournament (Men) 2026 began on a positive and competitive note in Srinagar on Saturday, with the host institution NIT Srinagar setting a strong early benchmark in the five-day championship featuring 24 National Institutes of Technology from across the country.
The opening day featured several well-contested matches across multiple venues in the city, marked by dominant wins, individual performances, and one closely fought tie. The results reflected the balanced competitive spirit of the tournament while also highlighting the growing standard of faculty and staff cricket within the NIT system.
Across the day’s fixtures, teams displayed encouraging performances with both bat and ball, setting the stage for an engaging league phase ahead. The mix of one-sided victories and tightly contested encounters underlined the camaraderie and sporting spirit that the tournament aims to promote among participating institutes.
The hosts NIT Srinagar made an emphatic statement in their opening clash against NIT Manipur, registering a commanding 10-wicket victory. After opting to field, NIT Srinagar’s bowling unit produced a disciplined performance to restrict Manipur to 121/8 in 20 overs.
Dr. Shakeel Waseem starred with an exceptional spell of 4/21, breaking the backbone of the opposition middle order, while Dr. Majid Hussain supported with 2/27.
Chasing a modest target, NIT Srinagar delivered a batting masterclass as Aaqib Sheikh smashed a breathtaking unbeaten 103 off just 33 balls, decorated with 17 boundaries and five sixes, powering the hosts to 124/0 in just 6.4 overs. Captain Faisal Irshad remained unbeaten on 10 as the hosts sealed victory with 80 balls to spare.
At another venue, NIT Jalandhar continued their strong start to the tournament, defeating NITK Surathkal by 23 runs. Batting first, Jalandhar posted 186/9 in 20 overs, powered by Amritpal Singh’s explosive 72 off 44 balls, supported by Ravinder’s quick 40 off 27 deliveries. Surathkal responded with 163/7, with Shailendra scoring a fighting 47, but failed to maintain the required run rate despite a spirited effort.
In another high-impact contest, NIT Uttarakhand outclassed NIT Andhra Pradesh by 49 runs. Uttarakhand posted 143/8, largely due to Kuldeep Thakur’s explosive 90 off 53 balls. In response, Andhra Pradesh collapsed for 94 in 15.1 overs, with Hitesh Sharma delivering a match-winning spell of 6/15. Romeo Meitei’s five-wicket haul for Andhra Pradesh was the lone bright spot in an otherwise one-sided encounter.
NIT Jamshedpur also began their campaign with a hard-fought five-wicket win over MNNIT Allahabad. Allahabad posted 152 all out, with Venkatesh scoring 51. Jamshedpur’s Sudhanshu Pati claimed 3/27, restricting the opposition effectively. In reply, Sumit Sehgal anchored the chase with a composed 44, guiding his team to 155/5 in 19.4 overs.
One of the most thrilling encounters of the day came between NIT Puducherry and MANIT Bhopal, which ended in a rare tie as both teams scored 164 in their allotted 20 overs. Alaguraja K’s 79 and C.K. Prakash’s 46 powered Puducherry, while Akash Mourya’s brilliant 82 ensured Bhopal stayed in the chase till the final ball, resulting in shared points.
In another one-sided contest played at Islamia College, NIT Calicut delivered a clinical performance to defeat NIT Delhi by nine wickets. Delhi were restricted to 115/10, with Dhanesh Rambeth taking 3/20. Calicut chased the target in 11.2 overs, led by Ranjith’s unbeaten 51 off 32 balls, sealing victory with ease.
NIT Hamirpur produced the most dominant bowling performance of the day against NIT Sikkim, restricting them to just 64/8 in 20 overs. Neeraj Dhiman’s extraordinary 2/2 in three overs set the tone, while Hemraj supported brilliantly. Hamirpur chased the target in just six overs, finishing at 66/1 with Vivek Tiwari and Surender Soni leading the charge.
In a closely fought contest, VNIT Nagpur edged past NIT Silchar by three wickets. Silchar were bowled out for 79, with Dr.Ajit Rathod (3/18) and Vijendra Singh Thakur (2/5) starring with the ball. VNIT Nagpur, however, faced resistance during the chase but managed to reach 80/7 in 16.1 overs, securing a narrow win. Wasim Arif stood out for Silchar with an all-round performance, scoring 28 and taking 3/14.
The five-day championship, hosted by NIT Srinagar, has brought together 24 NIT teams in a celebration of sportsmanship, teamwork, and national integration.
The tournament is being sponsored by DRS IT Consultancy, NorthCut Enterprises, Aisha Enterprises, Bombay Sports, Chemi Health, Speedway Printers, G Active, K.S. Enterprises, M/S Sharp, Ahmad Scientific, Alfa Office, Nescafé, New S5 Enterprise, IGENE, FOSROC, Lakshmi Chand, JK Bats, J&K Bank, Canara Bank, ICICI Bank, HIECO, JK Cement, Gasha Canteen, Ali Mohammad P&D, and Orbit Contractors P&D.
