Bhubaneswar, 31 December 2025:
Red Star Bhubaneswar Cricket Club emerged as the champions of the Excel Shield Cricket Tournament 2025 (Season-2) after registering a commanding 174-run victory over RRK Cricket Club in the final match played on Wednesday at the grounds of St. Joseph’s High School, Bhubaneswar.
After winning the toss, RRK Cricket Club elected to field first. Batting with confidence and dominance, Red Star Cricket Club posted a massive total of 322 runs in 40 overs. In reply, the RRK Cricket team failed to chase the daunting target and eventually succumbed to defeat by 174 runs, handing Red Star Cricket Club the prestigious Champion’s Trophy.
The week-long Excel Shield Cricket Tournament 2025 (Season-2) was organized by Excel Cricket Academy and featured 12 teams from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, competing in the Under-15 boys age group. The champion team was awarded the Champion Trophy along with a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh, while the runner-up team received the Runner-Up Trophy and Rs. 50 thousand.
Founded in 2024 by ADV. Srimant Suar (Secretary, Excel Cricket Academy), ADV. Kavita Suar (Co-Founder, Excel Cricket Academy), and Coach Mohammad Azad, Excel Cricket Academy is dedicated to strengthening the grassroots foundation of cricket in Odisha and creating an international platform for budding cricketers.
In recognition of outstanding performances during the tournament, several individual awards were presented. Shreyansh Bidhar of Red Star Cricket Club was adjudged Player of the Final and also crowned Player of the Tournament for his consistent all-round brilliance. The Best Batter award went to Sheikh Tuffel Ahmad (Red Star Cricket Club), while the Best Bowler award was claimed by Manthan Mahapatra (Red Star Cricket Club). The Best Fielder award was presented to Simma Satwik of Icchapuram-A for his exceptional fielding efforts.
During the prize distribution ceremony, the Chief Guest, Shri Jagannath Pradhan, eminent politician, honored the legendary Odisha cricket coach Shri Kishore Mania with the prestigious “Guru Ratna Award.” This award has been instituted by Excel Cricket Academy this year to recognize and honor eminent cricket coaches of Odisha.
The ceremony was graced by several distinguished guests, including Journalist Sudarshan Chhotray, International Para Athlete Shri Rakhal Seth, Ajay Kumar Sahu, NTPL (Owner), and Manish Sethi, Ceramic World (Owner).
The program was presided over by Dr. Prashant Suar, President of Excel Cricket Academy, while social worker Prashanta Pradhan coordinated the event. The occasion was further enlivened by vibrant cultural performances presented by the Odisha Dance Group.
