Bhubaneswar :20/2/25: The 20th Secretariat Cup-2025, organized by the Odisha Secretariat Cricket Association (OSCA), has officially begun with great excitement after a five-year hiatus. The tournament, one of the most anticipated cricket events in Bhubaneswar, kicked off today at the Hi-Tech Medical College Ground.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by Dr. Tirupati Panigrahi, Chairman of Hi-Tech Group, who served as the Chief Guest, along with the Guest of Honour, Sri Ganesh Chandra Jena, the first Odia to conquer Mount Everest, and renowned cricket coach Sri Lalit Mohanty.
The first match was played between the Jyote Group and the Directorate of Agriculture. Jyote Group won the toss and opted to bat first. They set a competitive total of 146/6 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to brilliant knocks by Rakesh Behera (61 runs off 46 balls) and Ranjit Paikray (30 runs off 18 balls). On the bowling front, Sashikant Patra and Nirmal Biswal each took 2 wickets, both conceding 54 runs.
Chasing 147 runs, the Directorate of Agriculture fell short and was bowled out for just 114 runs in 19.1 overs. The key scorers for the Directorate were Sandip Bhanjdeo (24 runs) and Sashikant Patra (18 runs). Ranjit Paikray was the standout performer with the ball, claiming 4 wickets for 21 runs, while Sagar Beura supported well with 3 wickets for 10 runs, as they dismantled the Directorate’s batting lineup. Ranjit Paikray’s match-winning all-round performance earned him the Man of the Match award.
The tournament has attracted 10 teams, all eager to compete for the prestigious title. During the inauguration, the troupe teams were also introduced by the distinguished guests, further adding to the excitement surrounding the event.
The presence of OSCA officials including Sri Sasank Sekhar Mohapatra (Working President), Sri Sanjib Kumar Mishra (General Secretary), Sri Rama Chandra Panigrahi (Vice-President), Sri Abinash Khandual (Sports Secretary), Sri Girish Kumar Digal (Treasurer), Sri Swarnendu Mishra (Executive Member), Sri Brahmananda Sahoo (Member), and Padma Charan Rout (Ex-Member) added to the grandeur of the ceremony.