States » NorthPosted at: Oct 5 2026 11:37AM


Gurugram beat Hisar by 52 runs to lift NCL title; Manohar Lal calls for united fight against drugs

Panchkula, Oct 5 (UNI) Gurugram defeated Hisar by 52 runs to win the Namo Cricket League at the Tau Devi Lal Cricket Stadium on Sunday evening, as union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar used the tournament finale to urge young people to channel their energy into sports and join a collective fight against drug abuse.
Gurugram posted 105 for seven in the 10-over final before restricting Hisar to 53 for eight, sealing a comfortable victory. The league, organised in connection with programmes marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, used the slogan "Say yes to cricket, no to drugs" to combine competitive sport with awareness against substance abuse among youth.
Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar, the chief guest, arrived in a vintage car and took a lap of the stadium to greet players and spectators before presenting the prizes.
Champions Gurugram received Rs 21 lakh, while runners-up Hisar were awarded Rs 11 lakh. Third-placed Jalandhar got Rs 5 lakh and fourth-placed Kurukshetra received Rs 2.50 lakh, taking the total prize money for the top four teams to Rs 39.50 lakh. Individual awards were also presented to standout performers.
Addressing the gathering, Manohar Lal Khattar said the league had transcended mere competition by using cricket's reach to carry a social message. "Sports fill young people with energy and enthusiasm, but when a message against drugs is also delivered from the same platform, its importance increases further," he said.
He warned that drug abuse could not be eliminated by any single individual or institution, calling for a society-wide campaign. Referring to neighbouring Punjab, he said efforts were underway there too, but stressed that "all sections of society will have to come together and run a collective campaign." He urged young people to take up sports and stay away from substance abuse.
The minister said youth were the country's future and their energy needed to be channelled positively. He noted a growing shift towards education and competitive exams, with coaching centres and libraries now seeing heavy footfall.
He said the Haryana government had worked to expand library facilities across districts, towns and villages, and referred to the "Mission Merit" initiative and the "bina parchi, bina kharchi" (without recommendation, without bribery) recruitment policy pursued during his tenure as chief minister to provide jobs on merit.
The anti-drug theme was also highlighted during earlier rounds, with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami administering an anti-drug pledge to players and youth during his visit on October 2.
The closing ceremony was attended by Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana, MLA Manmohan Bhadana, Mayor Shyam Lal Bansal, Chief Minister's OSDs B.B. Bharti and Bhopal Khadri, singer Kanhaiya Mittal and wrestler The Great Khali, among others.
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