Grand Forks Cricket Club (81/2) defeated Royals Titans (80/7) by 6 wickets ( 9 players games) in the opening match of the NDSU Cricket Tournament 2026, organized by the NDSU Cricket Club, at Richard's West Park on a hot Saturday morning.
Winning the toss, Royals Titans elected to bat first but were immediately put under pressure by the disciplined opening spell from Prabhjyot Chavan and Hashan Menaka. Prabhjyot struck first by dismissing Tanmay Mahmud, while Menaka produced a match-winning spell, removing Md Tanbir Khan, Bakht Alam Khan, and later the well-set Md Zahid Hasan, finishing with 3 wickets for just 18 runs. His consistent line and length earned him the Player of the Match award.
Although Md Zahid Hasan anchored the Royals innings brilliantly with 28 runs, showing excellent composure and timing, wickets kept falling around him. Rafat Safayet added a few useful runs before being bowled by Sriram Prabhakara Rao, while Pramod Polimari wrapped up the innings with the dismissal of Shafi Istiak. Royals Titans finished on 80/7 in 10 overs.
The fielding effort from Grand Forks Cricket Club was outstanding. A spectacular catch by Hashan Kodippilige and another superb catch by Pramod Polimari proved to be major turning points in the match, lifting the team's energy at crucial moments. The sharp run-out involving Hashan Menaka further tightened Grand Forks' grip on the game.
Chasing 81, Grand Forks Cricket Club never looked under pressure. Swaranjit Roy anchored the innings with an unbeaten 26, while Ijaz Khan, back in form, played a fluent and aggressive knock of 31 off just 19 balls, smashing three sixes and a four to take the game away from the opposition. Their 65-run opening partnership set the perfect platform before Bappi Rahman briefly brought Royals Titans back into the contest by dismissing Ijaz and later Sriram Prabhakara Rao, who contributed a quick 10 runs, including a six. Hashan Kodippilige finished the chase with Swaranjit as Grand Forks reached 81/2 in just 8.5 overs, sealing a comfortable victory.
While the result was convincing, Grand Forks Cricket Club will look to improve one aspect before the next game. The team conceded 29 extras, including 23 wides, which kept Royals Titans in the contest longer than necessary. Tightening bowling discipline will be an important focus going forward.
The Player of the Match trophy was presented to Hashan Menaka by Job Eliazer for his outstanding bowling performance.
Grand Forks Cricket Club extends sincere thanks to David Solomon, Job Eliazer, and Dr. Durga Prasad Panda for their continued support and sponsorship of the team and the tournament. Appreciation also goes to the match officials, Shakil and Bappa, for officiating the game.
Despite the hot weather, both teams displayed excellent sportsmanship throughout the match. The day concluded with friendly handshakes, watermelon, pizza, and soft drinks shared by players from both sides, reflecting the true spirit of cricket.
Grand Forks Cricket Club now looks ahead to another exciting challenge against Fargo Cricket Club on Sunday at 9:00 AM. Even with the FIFA World Cup Final taking place later in the day, the team hopes to see another strong turnout to support local cricket.
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