United Brothers emerged as the champion of the 33rd edition of the Mokokchung District Cricket Association (MDCA) Inter-Club T20 Cricket Tournament after defeating the defending champion Titans CC in the final on Monday in Mokokchung.
An exhilarating final match brought an end to a week-long cricketing spectacle that commenced on January 28. The tournament, played on a league basis, saw five participating clubs competing for the trophy.
Defending champions Titans CC, who had held the trophy for the past three successive years, and United Brothers, made a return after a hiatus of a few years, emerged as the top two teams after the league stage. The final match, graced by EAC Mokokchung, Vitolu proved to be a thrilling contest that went down to the final ball.
United Brothers won the toss and elected to bat first but struggled to build a solid total, managing only 92 runs. Talikaba Pongen and Nirpen Rai were the key contributors, scoring 27 and 17 runs, respectively. In response, Titans CC put up a strong fight but fell short by just three runs as United Brothers took crucial wickets at regular intervals to defend their modest total successfully.
With four runs required off the last ball and only one wicket remaining, Nihal Rai’s (26 runs) valiant effort to secure a boundary off the last ball of the match was thwarted by a spectacular catch near the boundary rope, ending Titans CC’s bid for a fourth consecutive championship and crowning United Brothers as the new champions.
The victorious United Brothers were awarded a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, while runners-up Titans CC received Rs. 25,000. Individual awards were also presented to recognize outstanding performances throughout the tournament:
Man of the Match (Final): Moazungba (United Brothers)
Most Sixes in the Final: Opangtemjen (Titans CC)
Best Batsman of the Tournament: Hem Bahadur Cheteri (United Brothers)
Best Bowler of the Tournament: Chubamaong (United Brothers)
Best Wicketkeeper of the Tournament: Menchet Pongen (United Brothers)
Most Promising Player of the Tournament: Moazungba (United Brothers)
Man of the Series: Basant (Titans CC)