Sikkim cricket team explained

Sikkim cricket team
Captain:Nilesh Lamichaney
Coach:Sanjeev Sharma
Founded:2018
Ground:Mining Cricket Stadium, Rangpo
Owner:Sikkim Cricket Association
First Fc:Manipur
First Fc Year:2018
First Fc Venue:Jadavpur University Campus Ground, Kolkata
Title1:Ranji Trophy
Title1wins:0
Title2:Vijay Hazare Trophy
Title2wins:0
Title3:Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Title3wins:0

The Sikkim cricket team is a cricket team that represents the state of Sikkim in Indian domestic competitions. In July 2018, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named the team as one of the nine new sides that would compete in domestic tournaments for the 2018–19 season, including the Ranji Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy.[1] [2] [3] However, prior to the start of the tournament, the team did not have a ground to play first-class cricket on.[4] Unlike some of the other new teams, Sikkim decided to enter their first List A competition with a team made up entirely of home-grown players.[5] Ahead of the 2018–19 season, Sanjeev Sharma was appointed as the team's coach.[6]

In September 2018, they lost their opening fixture of the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy, to Manipur, by 10 wickets.[7] [8] In the Round 8 fixture against Bihar, Sikkim were bowled out for 46 runs, with Bihar winning by 292 runs, the biggest margin of defeat by runs in Indian domestic cricket.[9] In their first season in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, they finished in last place in the Plate Group, losing all eight matches.[10] Lee Yong Lepcha finished as the leading run-scorer, with 214 runs, and Mandup Bhutia was the leading wicket-taker for the team, with five dismissals.[11]

In November 2018, in their opening match of the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy, they beat Manipur by an innings and 27 runs.[12] [13] In the sixth round of fixtures, Milind Kumar became the first batsman to score 1,000 runs in this edition of the tournament.[14] He did so in the match against Mizoram, in his ninth innings of the competition.[15] They finished the 2018–19 tournament fifth in the table, with four wins from their eight matches.[16]

In March 2019, Sikkim finished in last place in Group C of the 2018–19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with no wins from their six matches.[17] Milind Kumar was the leading run-scorer for the team in the tournament, with 159 runs, and Bipul Sharma was the leading wicket-taker, with seven dismissals.[18] However, he left the team ahead of the 2019–20 Ranji Trophy tournament.[19]

Squad

NameBirth dateBatting styleBowling styleNotes
Batsmen
4 September 1991 Right-handed Captain
Pankaj Rawat 25 May 1993 Right-handed
Pranesh Chettri 27 February 2000 Right-handed
20 February 2001 Right-handed
Saurav Prasad 19 May 2000 Right-handed
Sankar Prasad 4 July 1999 Right-handed
Jyoti Bind 26 August 1999 Right-handed
6 July 1994 Right-handed
All-rounders
7 November 1991 Right-handed
10 September 1987 Right-handed
Ankur Malik 5 November 2003 Right-handed
22 February 1993 Right-handed
Rahul Tamang 24 January 1994 Right-handed
Wicket-keepers
4 January 1994 Right-handed
Arun Chettri 28 October 2002 Left-handed
James Lepcha 24 April 1989 Right-handed
Spin bowlers
Md. Saptulla 10 June 1998 Right-handed
Galpo Sherpa 23 January 1996 Right-handed
Pace bowlers
Bijay Prasad 5 September 2002 Right-handed
Bhim Luitel 16 February 2001 Right-handed
Jeetendra Sharma 13 December 1996 Right-handed
Kishan Karki 16 February 1992 Right-handed

Updated as on 2 February 2024

Notes and References

  1. News: Nine new teams in Ranji Trophy 2018–19 . ESPN Cricinfo . 18 July 2018.
  2. News: Logistical nightmare on cards as BCCI announces 37-team Ranji Trophy for 2018–19 season . Indian Express . 18 July 2018.
  3. Web site: BCCI to host over 2000 matches in the upcoming 2018–19 domestic season . BCCI . 19 June 2018.
  4. Web site: Ground reality hits Northeast states before first-class debut . Sport Star Live . 20 July 2018 . 10 August 2018.
  5. Web site: Ravidas . Rajeev . Modi lauds Sikkim cricketer century . Telegraph India . 28 September 2018.
  6. Web site: BCCI eases entry for new domestic teams as logistical challenges emerge . ESPN Cricinfo . 31 August 2018.
  7. Web site: Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018–19, Plate Group wrap: Wins for Meghalaya, Manipur and Bihar . Cricket Country . 20 September 2018 . 20 September 2018.
  8. Web site: Plate Group, Vijay Hazare Trophy at Vadodara, Sep 20 2018 . 20 September 2018 . ESPN Cricinfo.
  9. Web site: Vidarbha have a new star, Nadeem strikes again, Vinay Kumar loses captaincy . ESPN Cricinfo . 1 October 2018.
  10. Web site: 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy Table . ESPN Cricinfo . 8 October 2018.
  11. Web site: Vijay Hazare Trophy, 2018/19 – Sikkim: Batting and bowling averages . ESPN Cricinfo . 8 October 2018.
  12. Web site: Ranji Trophy Takeaways: Unadkat Picks Seven; Mumbai in Command Against Railways . Network18 Media and Investments Ltd . 3 November 2018.
  13. Web site: Ranji Trophy: Sikkim record innings victory over Manipur . The Indian Express . 3 November 2018 . 3 November 2018.
  14. Web site: Ranji Trophy 2018/19: Milind Kumar, playing for Sikkim, enters the record books . News Nation . 15 December 2018.
  15. Web site: Milind Kumar: from being sidelined in Delhi to 1000 in the Ranji Trophy . ESPN Cricinfo . 15 December 2018.
  16. News: Ranji Trophy Table – 2018–19 . ESPN Cricinfo . 10 January 2019.
  17. Web site: Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019: Points Table . ESPN Cricinfo . 2 March 2019.
  18. Web site: Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2018/19 – Sikkim: Batting and bowling averages . ESPN Cricinfo . 2 March 2019.
  19. Web site: Ranji Trophy: Milind Kumar parts ways with Sikkim after one season . Sport Star . 7 August 2019 . 7 August 2019.