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, as per a statement, 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.
