HDFC Bank Triumphs in Nail-Biting Manipal Cup Final
Jaipur witnessed an electrifying cricket match as Team HDFC Bank captured the inaugural Manipal Cup-2026 title. They defeated hosts Manipal University Jaipur by three wickets in a final that delivered suspense until the very last ball.
A Tense Chase to Victory
Manipal University Jaipur batted first and set a target of 57 runs. HDFC Bank faced a challenging chase with wickets falling steadily throughout their innings. The team maintained their composure and secured the win on the final delivery of the eight-over match.
Dr Niti Nipun Sharma, President of Manipal University Jaipur, presented the Manipal Cup trophy to the winning side. Gaurav Tiwary accepted the award as captain of the HDFC Bank team.
Tournament Structure and Participants
The Manipal Cup was organized as part of MUJ's "Year of Collaboration" celebrations. Four teams participated in the competition: Manipal Hospitals, HDFC Bank, Gravita, and Manipal University Jaipur.
The tournament began with two knockout matches. HDFC Bank defeated Manipal Hospitals in the first fixture. Meanwhile, MUJ overcame Gravita to advance to the championship match.
Awards and Recognitions
The post-match presentation ceremony honored several standout performances from the tournament:
- Rupesh Garg of HDFC Bank received dual honors as Best Batter and Man of the Series.
- Man Mohan Mehta from MUJ earned the Best Bowler award.
- Suresh Meena from MUJ was named Best Impact Player.
Senior dignitaries from MUJ attended the presentation, including President Dr Niti Nipun Sharma, Provost Dr Nitu Bhatnagar, Registrar Dr Amit Soni, and Head of Human Resources Ms Kananjeet Kaur. Dr Mallikarjuna Gadappa, Director of CDOE, also participated. Jashmeet Singh, Vice President of HDFC Bank, represented the winning organization.
Tournament Inauguration and Attendees
The Manipal Cup-2026 commenced earlier in the day with a formal inauguration ceremony. Representatives from all four participating organizations gathered for the event.
Manipal University Jaipur's delegation included President Dr N N Sharma, Pro-President Dr Karunakar A Kotegar, Registrar Dr Amit Soni, Provost Dr Nitu Bhatnagar, and all Deans.
Manipal Hospitals Jaipur sent Ranjan Thakur (Director), Zuber Khan (Head Operations), Dr Ashish Yagnik (Medical Superintendent), and Ramesh Dharmani (Head Marketing). Gravita was represented by Kamal Mishra, Head of HR. HDFC Bank's representatives were Jasmeet Singh, Vice President, and Gaurav Tiwary, Assistant Vice President.
Successful Conclusion and Broader Impact
The first edition of the Manipal Cup concluded successfully, achieving its goal of promoting collaboration, camaraderie, and sportsmanship among industry and academic partners. The tournament matches were streamed live on the official YouTube channel of Manipal University Jaipur, allowing a wider audience to enjoy the competition.
