LUCAN SECURE LHK MIDDLE CUP FOR 2026!

Lucan secured a dramatic one-run victory in the LHK Group Middle Cup Final in a closely fought contest, with the game going down to the last ball before Lucan held their nerve to claim the win.

Batting first, Lucan posted 140-9 from their allotted overs, with Masum Patel leading the scoring with a valuable 29. Sagar Boghani contributed 19, Mohammed Abdullah added 16 and Chirag Nagavekar made 11. There were also useful contributions from Gagandeep Singh, Sameer Handa and Muni Mohan Krishnan as Lucan worked their way towards a competitive total.

The Mullingar bowling unit performed well, with Zahid Iqbal, Dinesh Kumar, Prabhuram Athmaram and Mirwais Afghan all taking two wickets. Craig Sweeney also claimed a wicket, with both teams relatively happy at the halfway mark.

The chase remained finely balanced throughout. Prabhuram Athmaram produced an excellent innings of 29 to lead the response, while Stephen Pullbrook made the highest score of the innings with a crucial 39. Bilal Alam added 13 and RajGopal Gopalakrishnan contributed 12, with Brandon Boshoff’s 10 also helping to keep the chase alive.

Lucan’s bowlers responded with a strong performance under pressure. Chirag Nagavekar and Siddharth Prashant were particularly effective, taking three wickets apiece, while Vaibhav Kotnala, Sagar Boghani and Mohammed Abdullah also claimed wickets. With the target within reach, the bowlers managed to restrict the scoring at the crucial moments. The game ebbed and flowed throughout with both teams having their hands on the trophy at various points.

In a tense finish, Mullingar required 12 to win off the last over but Lucan held their nerve as Mullingar fell just short of their target, leaving Lucan victorious by a single run. The game made for an excellent contest, with both sides remaining in contention until the final deliveries and Lucan ultimately doing just enough to secure the narrowest of victories to become the 2026 LHK Group Middle Cup Winners.