ITANAGAR, 30 Aug: In the last league encounter of the 2nd edition of the Arunachal Test Championship (ATC), Chandan Kumar Singh emerged as the standout performer, guiding Itanagar Cricket Club (ICC) to crucial first innings lead points against AIOC Itanagar.
Batting first, AIOC managed 147 runs in 59.4 overs, with Lalit Deva’s fighting knock of 65 (86 balls, 5 fours, 4 sixes) being the lone highlight. For ICC, the bowlers worked in tandem, with Jitender Singh Nabiyal (3/25), Rakesh Kumar (3/45), and Chandan Kumar Singh (2/15) ensuring that wickets fell at regular intervals.
In reply, ICC posted 177/8 in 52 overs, taking a 30-run first innings lead. The innings revolved around Singh’s brilliant 62 (77 balls, 5 fours, 3 sixes) before he retired hurt. His experience as a Ranji Trophy campaigner shone through, stabilizing the innings when pressure mounted. Anuj Jaiswal (27) and Suraj Tayam (18) added handy runs in the middle. For AIOC, Ankit Kumar Singh bowled a fiery spell of 17 overs, taking 4/54, while Daksh Sharma chipped in with 2/44.
With the lead secured, ICC bagged 3 points to finish their league campaign on 10 points, while AIOC managed 1 point (total 4 points, tied with NJCC). Thanks to a superior net run rate (NRR 1.816 vs NJCC’s 0.635), AIOC progressed to the grand final.
The ATC 2nd edition final will be played between Itanagar Cricket Club (ICC) and Arunachal Institute of Cricket (AIOC) Itanagar on 21 and 22 September at AIOC Jullang, immediately after the conclusion of the Techi Tagar T20 Tournament, organized by the Arunachal Cricket Association.
ATC tournament director Suraj Tayam congratulated both the teams.
“Heartiest congratulations to ICC for a solid league phase and to AIOC for qualifying for the final on the back of resilience and superior NRR. The Arunachal Test Championship has showcased discipline, skill, and competitive spirit. Best wishes to both ICC and AIOC for the grand final. May the best team lift the trophy,” he said.
