1st NE Little Masters Trophy 2025 : Manipur open league campaign with 5-wicket thrashing of Nagaland
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 21 2025: Manipur got off to a flying start in the Group B league competition of the 1st NE Little Masters Trophy 2025 (for U-14 boys) by securing a 5-wicket win against Nagaland at ACA CA Ground, Fulung, North Guwahati.

The 8-team tournament is hosted by Assam.

Manipur chose wisely to field first today after winning the toss and bundled out Nagaland for 80 runs in 18.4 overs courtesy of concerted bowling effort.

Manipur then chased down the target within 13.2 overs with 5 wickets left to spare.

1st NE Little Masters Trophy 2025

Nagaland faced early jitters Manipur skipper bowled out Vivotuo Rupreo for the first wicket on a 4-ball duck before Ningthoujam Bidyananda further piled pressure by removing Imitinok Kichu on a 8-ball duck and incoming Sangtsulen Tshunherii on a golden duck back to back in the third and the fourth deliveries of the 3rd over to make it 19/3 .

Although Eric Rupreo, who came in at no 3, played sensibly to stay longer for Nagaland, he saw his partner Akash Gupta getting caught behind on 4 off the bowling of Kh Firdos for the fourth wicket in the 8th over.

N Lamnganba then trapped Saheb Kumar lbw on a 4-ball 4 for the fifth wicket in the 2nd delivery of the 9th over before Eric got run out on 14 two balls later as the scoreboard read 47 .

From 47/6, Chubasunep 16 off 20 and Ayan Shaikh 11 off 29 added the highest partnership for Nagaland for the 7th wicket before Lamnganba bowled out Chubasunep to break the partnership.

Nagaland further slipped to 80/8 as Farhan Ahmed bowled out incoming Kitovi Sema on a 4-ball duck before Shohel Akter got rid of Ayan Shaikh and Imtilong Longchar 0 to cut short the innings at 80 in the second and fourth delivery of the 19th over.

Shohel Akter returned with the best bowling figures of 2/0 in just 4 deliveries as N Bidyananda finished with 2/29 in 4 overs and Lamnganba finished with 2/15 in 5 overs.

In reply, Manipur too faced early resistance from the Nagaland bowlers and slumped to 72/5 in 12.1 overs despite Chabungbam Tyrus'19-ball 19 and Sagatpam Telheiba's 27-ball 22 as Sangtsulen Tshunherii ran riot on the way to his three wicket haul (3/24 in 4.2 overs) .

Nagaland's meagre total however costly as Kh Firdos 6 off 13 and Md Mujamin 4 off 5 stood firm to steer Manipur to the target.