<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">GANGTOK,:</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">
Aakraman Sporting Club became the first team to successfully defend the SICA
Women’s Club Tournament title after cruising to a nine-wicket victory over SICA
Academy in the Elite Division final on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The
defending champions produced a dominant all-round display to claim their third
SICA Women's crown, having also won the inaugural edition in 2022 and last
season’s tournament.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">After
electing to field, Aakraman restricted SICA Academy to 57-9 from their 20
overs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">SICA
Academy struggled to establish partnerships as wickets fell at regular
intervals, with disciplined bowling and sharp fielding denying them any
momentum.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Lyangrip
Lepcha and Tshering Yangden Lepcha led the attack with two wickets each, while
four other bowlers shared the remaining dismissals in a collective bowling
effort.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Chasing
a modest target, Aakraman rarely looked troubled.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">They
lost only one wicket before reaching 58-1 in 12.1 overs, sealing victory with
more than seven overs to spare. Yudenmit Lepcha top-scored with 20 as the
champions completed a comprehensive nine-wicket win.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The
triumph marked Aakraman’s fifth appearance in a SICA Women's final and made
them the first side in the tournament's history to retain the championship.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Earlier,
Hornbill XI of Namchi claimed the inaugural Plate Division title with a 25-run
victory over Shaft Cricket Club.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Batting
first, Hornbill XI recovered from an uncertain start to post 102 for six,
thanks largely to opener Arpana Rai’s 45. Kusangmit Lepcha was the standout
bowler for Shaft, finishing with figures of three for 22.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Shaft’s
chase never recovered after both openers were dismissed in the first over.
Regular wickets halted any hopes of a comeback as they finished on 77 for nine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Aishma
Roy and Bindiya Rai claimed two wickets each to help Hornbill XI secure the
title.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">The
result completed a reversal of fortunes from the league stage, where unbeaten
Shaft had defeated Hornbill XI. A similar pattern unfolded in the Elite
Division, with SICA Academy unable to repeat their earlier group-stage victory
over Aakraman in the final.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">This
year's tournament introduced a new two-tier format for the first time. The
previous single-division competition featuring 13 teams was split into an Elite
Division for the top eight sides and a Plate Division for the remaining five.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style",serif">Hornbill
XI and Shaft Cricket Club earned promotion to next season’s Elite Division,
while 2024 champions Alpine Sporting Club and Denzong Girls’ Cricket Club were
relegated to the Plate Division.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
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