Dimapur and Wokha emerged victorious in their respective matches on 19 March 2025 in the ongoing Senior Men’s Inter-District Tournament organised by the Nagaland Cricket Association.
At the Sovima Cricket Ground, Chümoukedima, Dimapur beat Tseminyu by 8 wickets. Tseminyu, after being put to bat first, struggled to get going. The batting side faced a tough challenge against a strong bowling attack, finishing with a total of 78 all out in 27.2 overs.
Kenendi Apon with a resilient 25 runs off 39 balls, which was the highest score in the innings. Despite a few efforts from other batters, none could build significant partnerships or make a strong impact, leading to Tseminyu’s early collapse.
Dimapur’s Tahmeed was exceptional, taking 4 wickets for 18 runs in 6.2 overs. His brilliant performance dismantled Tseminyu’s batting line-up.
Hopongkyu Sangtam, the Player of the Match, bowled a superb spell, claiming 4 wickets for 21 runs in 10 overs. His tight, disciplined bowling in the middle overs kept Tseminyu from stabilizing their innings.
Dimapur made light work of the small target set by Tseminyu. The Dimapur batsmen chased down the target with ease, reaching 81/2 in just 9.4 overs, securing an 8-wicket victory.
Hem, who remained unbeaten on 49 runs off 32 balls*, played a match-winning knock. His explosive stroke play helped Dimapur comfortably cross the line. Hem was in full control, showing excellent timing and placement, and providing the stability needed for the team to finish the game with ease.
Ntsenlo Semp was the standout bowler for Tseminyu, taking 1 wicket for 18 runs in 2 overs. Kechesin Keppen also contributed with 1 wicket for 23 runs in 3 overs, but they couldn’t prevent Dimapur from cruising to victory.
In the other match that took place at the Nagaland Cricket Stadium, Wokha beat Mokokchung by
6 wickets.
Mokokchung’s innings got off to a solid start but lacked the momentum to build a significant partnership. The top order battled hard but struggled to find the boundary consistently. Nihal Rai was the standout performer for Mokokchung, scoring a patient 40 runs off 95 balls, anchoring the innings. However, he lacked support from the other end as wickets fell at regular intervals.
The Wokha bowlers were clinical in their execution, led by Hayithung Ezung, who was the pick of the bowlers with exceptional figures of 4/20 in 7 overs. His disciplined bowling helped reduce Mokokchung to a modest total. Andrew Ropmay also contributed with the ball, claiming 2/25 in 5 overs to further stifle Mokokchung’s chances of building any substantial partnerships.
Mokokchung’s innings came to a halt when they were bowled out for 115 in 41.2 overs, a total that would prove to be difficult to defend.
Chasing a relatively low total, Wokha’s opening batsmen came out with confidence. C Abemo Kikon and Nchumbemo Humtsoe played steady knocks, with Kikon contributing 30 runs off 41 balls, while Humtsoe remained not out at 40 off 39 balls*, providing the stability required to guide Wokha to victory. The pair’s partnership helped steady the chase, and they kept the required run rate under control.
Mokokchung’s bowlers, despite putting in an effort, failed to make significant breakthroughs in the chase. Andrew Ropmay, who had earlier been effective with the ball, also contributed with the bat, but Wokha never seemed in serious trouble of losing wickets.
Wokha chased down the target in 24 overs, finishing at 116/4, securing a comfortable 6-wicket win.
Hayithung Ezung (Wokha), Player of the Match, was the standout performer, claiming brilliant figures of 4/20 in 7 overs. His exceptional bowling was key in dismantling the Mokokchung batting line-up, restricting them to a low total of 115. Ezung’s efforts played a crucial role in Wokha’s comfortable 6-wicket victory, making him a deserving Player of the Match.
