Played for the fifth time at the iconic venue, the match once again blended sport, diplomacy and community, reflecting the evolving relationship between India and the UK, and cricket’s role as a shared cultural language.
For the Bengal Heritage Foundation, the focus this year was firmly on inclusion and the future of the game. Trustee Sourav Niyogi said the most distinctive feature of the 2025 edition was the decision to support young women cricketers at the grassroot level. “Like every year, we are giving away cricket kits, but what stands out this time is that all kits are going to under-15 Bengal women cricketers, selected by Jhulan Goswami,” he said. Linking the initiative to wider ties, Niyogi added, “This has been an important year for India and the UK, and sport plays a key role in strengthening people-to-people connections under the Living Bridge concept.” The recipients were Akriti Manna, Debochmita Kalsa, Radhika Kumari, Sheikh Adhiana and Sneha Mahato, while the match also featured two female umpires for the second consecutive year.
On the field, team UK in India emerged winners, defeating team India in UK by 17 runs in a 20-over contest. Batting first, UK in India posted 140 for 6, built around Pranay Singh’s explosive 27* off 14 balls and a fluent 25* off 19 from Jasraj Singh. With the ball, Ashok Das returned figures of 2 for 14, while Pranay Singh added 2 for 18 to complete a decisive all-round performance that earned him the Player of the Match award. Winning captain Debanjan Chakrabarti said the victory carried special meaning. “To hold up this cup at Eden Gardens is a huge privilege,” he said. “2025 has been a very significant year for India-UK relations, with trade and cultural cooperation growing, and it feels special to celebrate that here.”
India in UK’s reply ended at 123 for 6, despite a composed 25* from Judhajit Mukherjee and a late surge from Vedant Pachisia, who struck 21. Arjun Prakash was the standout with the ball for India in UK, claiming 2 for 13. Captain Surajit Lahiri reflected on the experience, saying, “We all dream of playing at Eden Gardens, and it’s always a joy to be here in the winter and be part of this tournament.” Judhajit also extended a unique personal record, remaining not out across all six editions of the Indo-British Heritage Cup.
Beyond the scoreline, the match carried strong personal stories. Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner for East and North East India, said the result mattered, but one moment stood above all else. “Seeing my son hit a boundary off the very first ball he faced, and that too at Eden Gardens, is a dinner-table story for life,” he said.
The Indo-British Heritage Cup also drew participants from far beyond Kolkata. Pinesh Roy, a product manager at Visa based in San Francisco, said he travelled to the city for two specific reasons. “I came to run the Kolkata Marathon and to play this match,” he said. “To be able to bowl two overs at the Eden Gardens turf is a childhood dream realised.”
Supported by sponsors including Redoq, the sixth edition of the Indo-British Heritage Cup once again showed how cricket can bring together diplomacy, grassroots development and shared aspiration, proving that the strongest bridges are often built through moments both on and off the field. Another additional flavour to the match was artist Rajeev Dutta who was documenting the match through his sketches