Black Panthers Clinch Thrilling 3-Wicket Win Over White Tigers in INFINITAS Faculty Cricket Tournament 2026
Kanpur, 31 January 2026
A high-energy and closely contested encounter lit up the Axis Colleges cricket ground as the INFINITAS Faculty Cricket Tournament 2026 continued with great enthusiasm.
In a 15-over-a-side thriller that began at 11:00 AM, Black Panthers edged past White Tigers by 3 wickets, showcasing composure and teamwork in a tense chase.
After winning the toss, White Tigers captain Ashish Shukla elected to bat first. However, the Black Panthers’ bowlers made early inroads and maintained relentless pressure throughout the innings. Key wickets in the powerplay put White Tigers on the back foot, and despite a fighting 33 off 30 balls by Vishal Kumar Gupta, the top scorer, the team could only post 81/8 in their allotted 15 overs.
Gaurav Puswani contributed 18 runs, while captain Ashish Shukla added a quick 12, but the regular fall of wickets prevented any substantial partnership from developing.
The Black Panthers’ bowling attack was outstanding. Saurabh Kanaujia led from the front with impressive figures of 3/16 in 3 overs, well supported by Aditya Dwivedi who claimed 3/18. Harikesh Bajpai also chipped in with a wicket, as the disciplined bowling effort restricted White Tigers to a modest yet competitive total of 82 runs.
Chasing 82, Black Panthers began cautiously. Saurabh Kanaujia once again played a key role with a steady 18 off 21 balls, while Kumar Shanu (16 off 13) and Ankit Patel (14 off 15) provided valuable contributions in the middle order. Though wickets fell at regular intervals, the team showed calm nerves and smart running between the wickets to reach the target in 12.3 overs, sealing a well-deserved victory.
For White Tigers, Ashish Shukla fought back bravely with 3 wickets, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Panthers’ march to victory.
For his excellent all-round performance—3 wickets and 18 crucial runs—Saurabh Kanaujia was rightly named Player of the Match.
The match was graced by the presence of Director Prof. Dr. Ashish Malik, Management Director Dr. Ankur Johri, Dr. Shubha Jain, Dr. Vikas Srivastava, Dr. Isha Yadav, Arun Dwivedi, and several other respected faculty members, whose enthusiastic support added to the vibrant atmosphere.
Black Panthers captain Mohammad Shariq credited the win to the team’s unity and discipline, while Saurabh Kanaujia dedicated his award to the entire squad. White Tigers captain Ashish Shukla sportingly congratulated the opposition and promised a strong comeback in the upcoming matches.
The INFINITAS Faculty Cricket Tournament 2026 continues to be a wonderful platform for promoting camaraderie, fitness, and team spirit among faculty members.
Heartiest congratulations to the Black Panthers on their victory!