New Jersey U-15 Crowned Eastern Region Champions, March On to Nationals in Atlanta

The New Jersey Regional U-15 cricket team has stamped their authority on the Eastern Region Championship, emerging as champions and booking their place in the prestigious National Tournament to be held in Atlanta starting from 29^th August. Guided by coach Shailesh Nakashe, and led brilliantly by captain Raghav Lakshmanan the team dominated Group A with back-to-back clinical wins.

First Match: New Jersey vs EMW

Winning the toss and opting to bowl first, New Jersey’s bowlers set the tone early. EMW was bundled out for just 80 runs in 40 overs, thanks to a fiery spell from Samarth Kale, who picked up 3 wickets in 3.3 overs. Thaman Dilip and Praneel Pandya chipped in with 2 wickets each, keeping the opposition under constant pressure.

In the chase, New Jersey made light work of the target, cruising to victory with ease. Samarth Kale’s all-round brilliance earned him the Man of the Match award.

Second Match: GA–FL–EMW Combined vs New Jersey

In their second outing, New Jersey once again elected to bowl first after winning the toss. The decision paid off handsomely, as they dismissed the opposition for just 70 runs. Thaman Dilip led the attack with 3 wickets in 5 overs, while Raj Parikh, Siddhith Krishna, and Samarth Kale took 2 wickets apiece.

Chasing the modest total, New Jersey raced to victory in just 6.2 overs. Thaman Dilip’s match-winning spell earned him the Man of the Match title.

Fielding Standout: Aarav Alok Patel

While the bowlers and batters grabbed the headlines, wicketkeeper Aarav Alok Patel quietly made his mark as the best wicketkeeper of the tournament, taking an impressive 9 catches behind the stumps. His sharp glovework and presence behind the wickets proved crucial in New Jersey’s dominant run.

On to the Nationals

With two commanding wins, New Jersey topped Group A and secured their spot in the nationals. The four teams competing for the national title will be:

• New Jersey (East)
• North Carolina (East)
• Bay Area Regional (West)
• Missouri (Central)

Coach Shailesh Nakashe praised his team’s focus and execution, highlighting the bowlers’ discipline, the batters’ intent, and Aarav’s outstanding work behind the stumps. The boys will now aim to carry their winning momentum to Atlanta as they face the best U-15 regional teams from across the country.