Pallishree Crowned Champions of the NCC Baby League Tournament. Pictures by Bibhash Lodh/BS News Agency.
Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency: The ‘NCC Baby League Cricket Tournament 2026’ concluded amidst regal grandeur and captivating cricket action. Presented by ‘Kids on Zee5’ and organized by the National Cricket Club—with support from the Mainland Sambaran Academy—the tournament reached its climax on Wednesday.
In the final match, Pallishree emerged as champions by defeating the Patuli Cricket Academy by 73 runs. The stature of the final was elevated even further by the illustrious presence of Indian Board President Mithun Manhas.
Winning the toss on Wednesday, Pallishree elected to bat first. Powered by explosive innings from Souvik Ghosh (77 runs off 32 balls) and Spandan Dey (65 runs off 28 balls), they posted a formidable total of 155 for the loss of just one wicket in their allotted ten overs. Batting in reply, the Patuli Cricket Academy began losing wickets in quick succession.
Patuli cricketer Neel Sarkar (48 runs off 26 balls) did attempt to keep pace with the escalating required run rate;
however, his efforts proved insufficient to secure a victory in the final. For Pallishree, Mohammad Mehrab Molla claimed two wickets for just 11 runs, while Bed Vijay Roy took two wickets conceding 23 runs. Ultimately, Patuli Cricket Academy’s challenge ended with a score of 82 for the loss of six wickets in ten overs.
In addition to Board President Mithun Manhas, the Baby League final on this day was graced by the presence of legendary cricketing personalities such as Jhulan Goswami, Manoj Tiwary, Anustup Majumdar, and Gargi Banerjee. However, the undoubted star attraction of the event was the Board President himself.
Speaking to journalists after the match, Mithun Manhas remarked, "This Baby League must certainly be hailed as a truly memorable initiative." "At such a tender age, these cricketers are absorbing the pressure and playing matches! It is truly astonishing. As you have witnessed, every single cricketer today displayed an incredible level of passion." The Board President added, "It is advisable to keep young cricketers away from sophisticated equipment during their early years; instead, they should simply play the game. In that context, what could be a better platform than the 'Baby League'? I congratulate Abhishek Dalmiya for organizing such a tournament. Abhishek has done a fantastic job. I foresee this tournament growing into something even bigger in the future."
Speaking about the 'NCC Baby League Cricket Tournament,' former CAB President Abhishek Dalmiya remarked, "The tournament turned out exceptionally well. Most importantly, we witnessed some excellent cricket. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and played with heart and soul. Our objective in organizing the Baby League was to create a platform where young cricketers could showcase their talents. It is gratifying to see that they utilized this platform to its fullest potential. Several cricketers performed admirably in this tournament, and I am hopeful that they will continue to perform with equal consistency in the days to come." Sambaran Banerjee, the captain who led Bengal to a Ranji Trophy victory, stated, "We organized this tournament on an experimental basis and never anticipated such resounding success. This year, we featured twenty-four teams in the tournament; next year, the number of teams will undoubtedly increase. As the saying goes: 'The children of today are the heroes of tomorrow.' If, in the future, the Baby League produces cricketers who rise to national prominence, we will consider our efforts truly worthwhile."
Incidentally, Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee was also present to watch the final match of the NCC Baby League. On his own initiative, he presented wristbands as gifts to the cricketers. The NCC authorities have saluted Sujan Babu's initiative and extended their gratitude to him.
Award Winners at a Glance:
Tournament MVP: Shouvik Ghosh (Pallishree)
Man of the Match: Shouvik Ghosh (Pallishree)
Best Bowler: Ayan Choubey (Pallishree)
Best Batter: Abhrajeet Biswas (Patuli Cricket Academy)