In a place where the national anthem and Hindi cinema are banned, cricket represents an uneasy fit for Manipur’s complex relationship with India. But in the face of adversity, the sport has proved to be a potent force for Manipur’s youth.
Kangabam Priyojit’s back-to-back centuries in the Ranji Trophy have given the Manipur Cricket Team a lot of confidence. Siddharth is confident that the young team can improve further in the upcoming matches.
| No. | Date | Tournament | Opponent | Manipur Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 22–26, 2026 | Ranji Trophy | Bihar | 264 & 195 | 522 & 505/6d | Bihar won |
| 2 | Jan 6, 2026 | Vijay Hazare Trophy | Bihar | 169 | 170/4 | Bihar won |
| 3 | Jan 3, 2026 | Vijay Hazare Trophy | Meghalaya | 241/7 | 238 | Manipur won |
| 4 | Dec 31, 2025 | Vijay Hazare Trophy | Mizoram | 205/2 | 200 | Manipur won |
| 5 | Dec 29, 2025 | Vijay Hazare Trophy | Arunachal Pradesh | 250/6 | 246 | Manipur won |
| 6 | Dec 26, 2025 | Vijay Hazare Trophy | Bihar | 269/9 | 284 | Bihar won |
| 7 | Dec 24, 2025 | Vijay Hazare Trophy | Nagaland | 241/9 | 236 | Manipur won |
| 8 | Dec 4, 2025 | Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy | Nagaland | 188 | 220/6 | Nagaland won |
| 9 | Dec 2, 2025 | Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy | Sikkim | 134 | 138/2 | Sikkim won |
| 10 | Nov 30, 2025 | Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy | Mizoram | 157/7 | 186/3 | Mizoram won |
Maharaja Churachand Singh
Priyojit, who was unbeaten on 187 in the second tie against Bihar, has shown improvement and maturity with back to back centuries.
He is the leading run scorer for Manipur in First Class cricket. However, Siddharth feels he should not get carried away with his scoring and continue to try his best in every game.
Sidharth also praised Pheiroijam Jotin and team captain Konthoujam Bishworjit for their performances with the bat and bowling respectively.
He was particularly impressed by the way the players went into a hostile home ground and produced a dominating performance. “This is something that you see only in top elite Ranji Trophy teams,” he said. The coach rated the team’s overall performance in the tournament so far as 10 out of 10. He feels it is a result of the hard work the players put in during their camp.
Imphal Cricket Club
The history of Manipur cricket can be traced back to the time when Maharaja Churachand Singh was a staunch patron of sports and games. He encouraged the game of cricket by distributing various items of sports goods, particularly cricket kits.
Boys who were interested in the game would prostrate themselves before the Maharaja to request for a set of cricket materials. He also generously gave financial assistance to the organisers of various sporting activities in Manipur and Assam.
Manipur has made a tremendous leap in the game of cricket ever since its integration into the Associated Member (AM) list of the BCCI.
The performance of the team in the age group championships of Associated and Affiliated members has drawn the attention of the top bosses of the sport. On 4th July 2015, the Honorary Secretary of BCCI Shri Anurag Singh Thakur paid a visit to Manipur to assess the situation.
He praised the team for their performance in the Ranji Trophy, saying that they are playing elite level cricket. He also commended Kangabam Priyojit for his unbeaten 186 against Sikkim, saying that it was an outstanding display of mental strength under pressure. He added that the team will now focus on the next match against Arunachal Pradesh.
On the other hand, captain Bishworjit said that they are pumped up and will do everything to win their next match against Arunachal Pradesh.
He also praised the performance of Priyojit and Jotin, who put in a solid batting partnership for over two days. He also said that he is confident that the team will perform well in the future as they are working hard to get better every day.
The Manipur team for the Col CK Nayudu Trophy 2022-23 reached Ahmedabad on Saturday and will play their first match on January 1, against Gujarat.
The team includes Ngariyanbam Jameson Singh, Muhammed Al Bashid, Ayekpam Joyraj Meitei, Dennis Khangenbam, Khaidem Kunjabi, Chingakham Bidash Meitei, and Sanjenbam Suresh Singh. The coach of the team is S. Lalitkumar, who has a lot of experience with the Indian under-19 cricket team.
Nehru Yuva Kendra
The state office of Nehru Yuva Kendra is headed by a Director who is supported by the Assistant Directors and other Subordinate staff.
There are 10 district offices that are headed by District Youth Coordinators along with Accountants and MTS. They are assisted by the Assistant Programme Officers and Volunteers. The Nehru Yuva Kendra is responsible for implementation of the various youth-related schemes.
In the early days of Maharaja Churachand Singh’s reign, he took up the responsibility to improve sports and game facilities in Manipur by converting the sprawling Palace Compound into a mini-sports complex. He was an excellent cricket player himself and also a good coach.
He encouraged the boys to play cricket by giving them free sports goods. He also held training sessions for them. During these training sessions, he would keep piles of 4 anna coins on the table and reward them to the bowlers who were able to hit the wicket correctly.
He was a great patron of sports in Manipur and Assam. He also provided monetary assistance to the organizers of various sporting events in the state. He was always ready to help the youngsters who wished to do something for the development of Manipur.
The telecasting of important cricket matches in Doordarshan in the 1980’s tremendously helped to popularize the game. The emergence of MCA as an Associate Member of the BCCI brought in new energy to the game.
Under the guidance of MCA the Manipur team has been able to reach the final stages of several national and international tournaments including the Ranji Trophy. This shows the increasing popularity of cricket in the state and the efforts of the players. The team will be hoping to continue their good form in the upcoming season and bring laurels to the state.
The players in the Manipur squad are well-trained by the coaches and have a lot of potential to perform better in future. They have the right balance of speed and power to make a difference in the match. This is the reason why they have been able to dominate their opponents in most of the recent matches.
Manipur Cricket Association
The Manipur Cricket Association is the apex governing body for the administration, development, and promotion of cricket in Manipur. MNCA is affiliated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and aims to build a robust cricket ecosystem that nurtures talent from the grassroots through competitive domestic tournaments aligned with national standards. The Association also promotes coaching programs and infrastructure development initiatives. MNCA has established itself as a professional and transparent organization guided by the principles of excellence, innovation, and inclusive growth.
The All Tribal= Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) has expressed deep concern over the discriminatory and arbitrary process of selecting players for the state team. It has taken strong exception to the exclusion of Alfred Hmangaisang Hmar, a talented young cricketer from REYS Nagamapal.
ATSUM has written to the MNCA to rectify this injustice and enable this promising player to represent the Manipur Cricket Team in the BCCI Tournament. Alfred is ranked first among the state bowlers, and there is no reason for him to be dropped in favour of a cricketer who is ranked 39th.
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