Gurugram: St. Froebel Paschim Vihar brought an end to defending champions Modern School, Barakhamba Road's remarkable unbeaten run across two seasons to lift the 2026 Delhi Capitals School Cup title with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory in the final at The Games Forest ground in Gurugram on Friday.
Modern School, who had won all their matches in both the inaugural edition and the 2026 tournament leading up to the final, suffered their first defeat in two seasons in the title clash. However, a clinical bowling performance led by Karn Sharma, followed by a blistering batting display from opener Laksh Narang, ensured that St. Froebel produced a memorable upset against one of the tournament's most dominant sides, chasing down a target of 56 in just 3.2 overs.
Put in to bat, Modern School struggled to find their footing against a disciplined St. Froebel bowling attack and were bowled out for just 55 in 15.3 overs. Karn Sharma spearheaded the effort with an outstanding spell of 4/17, while Parth Bhatia provided excellent support with figures of 2/6. The St. Froebel bowlers maintained control throughout the innings, never allowing the opposition to build a substantial partnership or gain momentum. Notably, only one Modern School batter managed to reach double figures, underlining the effectiveness of the bowling unit against a side that had been unbeaten throughout its campaign.
In response, St. Froebel made light work of the chase, with opener Laksh Narang producing a spectacular innings of 48 off just 14 deliveries. His explosive knock featured five fours and four sixes, as he took the attack to the opposition from the outset and ensured there was little doubt about the outcome. St. Froebel eventually reached 58/2 in just 3.2 overs, sealing the championship in emphatic fashion and ending Modern School's two-season dominance.
Abeer Sudan of Billabong School, Noida, dominated the individual batting charts to claim the Orange Cap after an outstanding campaign in which he amassed 421 runs in five innings at a remarkable strike rate of 249 and an average of 210. He also topped the overall performance rankings and was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament. Noor Mohammad of St. Froebel School finished second with 259 runs, followed by Deven Rana of Venkateshwar International School, Dwarka, who scored 255 runs. Vyan of Modern School accumulated 252 runs to take the fourth spot, while Tanmay Chaudhary of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, completed the top five with 241 runs.
In the bowling department, Vinayak of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, claimed the Purple Cap after finishing as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets at an economy rate of 5.55. Aarav Sharma of Billabong School, Noida, secured the second spot with 14 wickets, followed by Daksh Dagar of Salwan Boys School, who claimed 13 wickets. Pawan Baghel of St. Froebel School finished fourth with 12 wickets, while Mrinayak of DPS RK Puram rounded off the top five with 11 wickets.
The Fair Play Award was presented to Billabong School, Noida, in recognition of the team's sporting conduct throughout the tournament.
The second edition of the Delhi Capitals School Cup was significantly bigger in scale, bringing together 38 teams for 66 matches across four venues in the Delhi-NCR region. The tournament commenced on October 9 and culminated with the final on November 6, providing a month-long competitive platform for aspiring young cricketers. The expanded edition marked a significant step forward from the inaugural tournament, reflecting the growing interest and participation in school-level cricket across the region.
Beyond the on-field competition, the 2026 Delhi Capitals School Cup was conceptualised and delivered with a strong emphasis on professionalism, providing young cricketers with an experience that reflected the standards and organisational excellence associated with a premier sporting event. From match operations and venue arrangements to the overall tournament experience, the focus was on creating a structured and competitive environment for participating schools and players.
At its core, the initiative also represented Delhi Capitals' commitment to giving back to the community and investing in the next generation of sporting talent. By creating meaningful opportunities for budding cricketers across Delhi-NCR, the tournament aimed to encourage grassroots participation, nurture young talent and contribute to the continued growth of cricket in the region.
