The SICA Women’s Club Tournament, organised by the Sikkim Cricket Association, came to a thrilling end on Wednesday after two weeks of exciting cricket matches. Eight teams competed in the T20 tournament, which took place at the Sikkim Cricket Ground, at Mining, Rangpo.
The participating teams included Aakraman Sporting Club, Cricket Association of Tathangchen, Denzong Cricket Club, HRCC Namchi, Irises Cricket Club, Pakyong District Women’s Club and Yuksom Capitals. After being divided into two groups, the teams played a minimum of six matches each, with a total of 24 matches taking place in the group stage, followed by the semi-finals and the final.
In the end, it was the Yuksom Capitals team from West Sikkim who lifted their maiden SICA Women’s Club Tournament title after defeating Gangtok’s Aakraman Sporting Club by eight wickets in the final. Aakraman SC had defeated Yuksom Capitals in last year’s final.
The final match saw Aakraman SC winning the toss and opting to bat first, scoring 57 runs for the loss of 10 wickets in 19.1 overs. Tabita Subba was the top scorer for Aakraman with 18 runs. Sonia Rai was the most successful bowler for Yuksom Capitals with 4 wickets for 10 runs in 4 overs. Yuksom Capitals chased the target of 58 runs in just 10 overs, losing only two wickets, with Tshering Ongmu Lepcha scoring an unbeaten 30.
The Governor of Sikkim, Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya, was the Chief Guest at the final match, along with Shri Raju Basnett, Secretary, Sports & Youth Affairs department, Government of Sikkim; Smt Sujata Subba, SDM, Rangpo; and Shri L.B. Chettri, SDPO, Rangpo. Representatives of district cricket committees and members of SICA were also present at the match.
The tournament was a resounding success, with top women cricketers of the state showcasing their skills and talent. At the end of the match, the Governor distributed prizes, with the winners receiving a trophy and a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh, while the runners-up received a trophy and Rs. 50,000.
Mementoes and certificates were also presented to match umpires, match referees, scorers, video analysts, managers, coaches, physios, commentator and others involved with the smooth conduct of the tournament.
In his address, the Governor lauded Sikkim Cricket Association for promoting cricket among women in a State which is known for football and added that sport is another avenue to empower women. The Governor congratulated SICA for promoting cricket in the State and for all the achievements it and its players have made so far.
The Governor exhorted SICA to spread cricket to every nook and corner of the state and identify the talent among the youth here and provide them a platform. The Governor also lauded Tshering Ongmu Lepcha, the captain of Yuksom Capitals, for her resilience and mental fortitude. Tshering Ongmu got to know of the disheartening news of her father passing away just a few hours before the match, but she didn't want to leave her team in the lurch.
The tournament also saw individual performers being awarded Governor Visesh Pratibha Samman and a cash prize, with the Yuksom Capitals team extending financial help of Rs. 70,000
