Patna: SDV Public School triumphed over five-time champions Dony Polo Public School by six wickets, securing the title in the 38th All India Sukhdeo Narain Memorial Inter-School Cricket Tournament—one of the state’s most prestigious and popular school cricket events.
The final day-night match took place on the international-grade turf wicket of Urja Stadium, offering an IPL-like atmosphere. Before play began, the Director of AIIMS, Dr Sanjeev Kumar, along with Dr Alakh Kumar Sinha, Vijay Kumar, and Ajay Kumar Sinha, greeted the players. Guests were presented with a Tulsi plant, echoing this year’s tournament theme, One Tree for the Nation.
The event began with the committee members paying homage to several esteemed figures, including B P Sinha, Shaligram Prasad Singh, Sukhdeo Narain, Madhava Nand Sahay, and JP Shrivastav, observing two minutes of silence. This was followed by the national anthem, a vibrant drum performance, cheer girls, and a fireworks display. The dignitaries applauded Chunnu, the tournament’s organising secretary, for his dedication over 38 years, recognising his efforts in elevating local talent to national prominence.
Dony Polo’s captain, Piyush, won the toss and elected to bat first. The team posted a score of 132 for nine in 20 overs, with Sushant scoring 32 runs, Amritya Chaudhary contributing 29, Rohit Pandey 28, and Anmol 12 runs. For SDV Public School, Divyansh and Kumar Shan each claimed two wickets, with Shan conceding 31 runs and Divyansh only 14.
In response, SDV Public School chased down the target, reaching 135 for four in 14.5 overs. Rishu led the charge with an impressive 32 runs, including two sixes and four boundaries, thrilling the audience with his aggressive play. Supporting roles were played by Ronit (23), Abhishek (23), Vikas Krishna (22*), and Kumar Shan (26*), securing the victory for SDV. For Dony Polo, Haratik Seth took two wickets for 29 runs. Kumar Shan was declared Player of the Match.
After the match former Bihar Cricket Association President and MLC Binod Kumar Jaiswal, alongside international umpire L.P. Verma, Mritunjay Tiwari, Pradeep Kumar, and tournament observer Vishnu Shankar, presented the awards. The Prabha Devi Memorial Award went to hockey player Anjali Kumari, and the JP Srivastava Memorial Award was presented to emerging player Parth of Divine International School. Other awards included:
- Tilak Raj Gandhi Award: Arman Ahmed, New BD Public School
- Kamala Sharan Singh Award: Yash Raj, Cambridge Public School
- Naresh Kumar Sinha Award: Piyush Kumar, Dony Polo Public School
The winning and runner-up teams received trolley bags under the Shaligram Prasad Singh Memorial Award. Additional awards included:
- Player of the Tournament: Amritya Chaudhary, Dony Polo Public School (tracksuit)
- Best Batsman: Piyush Kumar, Dony Polo Public School (bat)
- Best Bowler: Hartik Seth, Dony Polo Public School (bowling boots)
Officials including Atendra Kumar, Neeraj Kumar, and Priyanshu received the Ashok Agarwal Award. For his outstanding commentary, Mrityunjay Jha received the Indu Narayan Memorial Award. Additional guests and dignitaries, including Nikhlesh Ranjan, Rajesh Kumar, and Saurabh Chakraborty, were present to celebrate the event’s success.
