A GCCC batsman plays a shot during the final match against FCI at the Nehru Stadium in Guwahati on Friday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, March 14: Food Corporation of India (FCI) emerged winners in the Airtel 1st Santosh Kumar Roy All-India Twenty20 Cricket tournament, defeating Guwahati Cricket Coaching Centre (GCCC) by four wickets in the floodlit final at Nehru Stadium here this evening.

The home side elected to bat and was restricted to a modest total of 109 for nine with the FCI men bowling a tight line, well supported by their agile fielders. Chasing the target, the FCI batsmen romped home off the penultimate delivery of the innings to clinch the cliffhanger.

The GCCC squandered a steady start against the experienced FCI bowling attack and kept losing wickets at regular intervals, which compelled them to exercise some restraint in playing flamboyant shots. Pritam Debnath made 28 runs hitting four boundaries to become the topscorer for the side.

Bikash Sharma contributed 23 and skipper Nishanta Bordoloi chipped in with 21. Bordoloi’s 25-ball knock included only one boundary.

Akash Malhotra, Sanjay Pandey and Parminder Singh of FCI picked up two wickets each.

Prakash Dogra was the batting mainstay for the FCI with 40 runs , which included three fours and a six. Akash Malhotra contributed 22 and Chanderpaul Saini chipped in with 20.

Spinners Bitop Mahanta and Bhaskar Jyoti Barman of GCCC shared two wickets each.

Malhotra was adjudged the Man of the Match as well as the Man of the Tournament. FCI skipper Rajendra Bisht was adjudged the Best Bowler and Rishav Das of City Cricket Coaching Centre was named the Best Batsman.

The FCI players went home richer by Rs 50,000 and the runners-up were awarded Rs 30,000.