Annual Award Event of ACA held, players felicitated for outstanding performances

The Annual Award Function of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) took place at the Auditorium Hall of 91 Yards Club, ACA Stadium, Barsapara, Guwahati, where cricketers from the state were felicitated for their exemplary performances during the 2022-23 season.

The event also witnessed the prize distribution ceremony of the Assam Premier Club Championship 2022-23 and the ACA Inter-Institution T20 Cricket Tournament, followed by a mesmerizing musical concert.

Dignitaries from the cricketing world and state officials graced the ceremony. Notable attendees included Devajit Saikia, Joint Secretary, BCCI; Prodip Timung, Director of the Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare, Govt of Assam; Pramod Borthakur, MLA, Biswanath; Akash Phukan, Vice Chairman, Board of Sports of Assam; Badal Thakur, former Ranji player; and Romen Dutta, former President, ACA. The office bearers of ACA, including President Taranga Gogoi, Vice President Rajdeep Oja, Secretary Tridib Konwar, Treasurer Chiranjit Langthasa, Joint Secretary Rajendra Singh, and Apex Council Member Anupam Deka, were also present.

ACA President Taranga Gogoi and Secretary Tridib Konwar expressed their satisfaction with the progress of Assam cricketers, praising the performances of talents like Uma Chetry, Jintimoni Kalita, and Riyan Parag. They affirmed their commitment to supporting and encouraging players while focusing on enhancing the cricket infrastructure in Assam. Approximately Rs 1.5 crore in prize money was distributed during the ceremony.

The 39 district winners of the 5th Assam Premier Club Championships received Rs 1 lakh each, while the six zonal champions were rewarded with Rs 1.5 lakhs each. The runners-up team of the Club Championships also received Rs 1 lakh each.

The champions, Bud Cricket Club of Guwahati, were awarded Rs 10 lakhs, and the runners-up, Radial Club of Nagaon, received Rs 5 lakhs. The two semifinalists were granted Rs 2 lakhs each. In the ACA Inter-Institution Tournament, AG, Assam emerged as the champions and received a generous prize of Rs 5 lakhs, while the runners-up, NF Railway, were handed Rs 2.5 lakhs. The two semifinalists, Postal and FCI, were honoured with Rs 1.5 lakhs each.

The ceremony also recognized outstanding individual performances during the 2022-23 season. Rishav Das was awarded Rs 5 lakhs for scoring three centuries in the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. Gokul Sharma received Rs 2 lakhs for his brilliant century in the Ranji Trophy against Delhi. Swarupam Purkayastha was rewarded with Rs 2 lakhs for his two centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Riyan Parag was presented with Rs 3 lakhs for his exceptional three hundreds in the same tournament.

The Assam team which reached the semifinal of the Vijay Hazare Trophy was given a cheque of Rs 25 lakhs. The support staff were given Rs 10 lakh as well on the occasion.

Additionally, several other players, including Pervej Musaraf, Denish Das, Abdul Ajij Kuraishi, Rahul Singh, Kunal Sarma, Akash Sengupta, Saurav Dey, Rajesh Prasad, Mayukh Hazarika, Dyutimoy Nath, Pranjal Paul, and Al Imran Ahmed, were honoured with cash rewards for their impressive performances in CK Nayudu Trophy, Vinoo Mankad Trophy, Cooch Behar Trophy, Vijay Merchant Trophy, and U-25 State A One Day tournaments.

The bowlers with a five-wicket haul and more were given Rs 1 lakh each and the batters with a hundred were given Rs 1 lakh each.

The Annual Award Function 2023 was an ode to the dedication and talent of Assam’s cricketing stars and underlined ACA’s commitment to nurturing and promoting cricket in the region. The event concluded with a sense of optimism for the future, promising further growth and success for Assam cricket on both individual and team levels.