Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday inaugurated the Odisha T-20 League CM Trophy 2026 at the historic Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, adding cricket as the fifth sport under the Chief Minister’s Trophy initiative.
The league aims to identify cricketing talent from rural areas across all 30 districts of Odisha and provide young players with a larger platform to showcase their skills.
Speaking at the inauguration, Majhi said cricket has now joined football, kho-kho, kabaddi and volleyball as the fifth sport in the Chief Minister’s Trophy.
He said the initiative would help identify rural cricketing talent across the state and provide them with greater opportunities.
The CM said sport is no longer limited to athletic competition but has emerged as a pathway to a successful career. He noted that India’s sporting landscape has undergone a major transformation over the past decade, while the growth of T-20 and league cricket has created several opportunities for young players.
Majhi said the participation of former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina and Odisha’s former international cricketer Debasish Mohanty as ambassadors of the league would inspire young players.
He expressed confidence that Odisha has both talent and infrastructure and said identifying the right players could help produce more national-level and IPL cricketers from the state in the coming years.
Highlighting the government’s efforts to strengthen sports infrastructure, Majhi said state-of-the-art stadiums are being constructed across all 314 blocks of Odisha at a cost of Rs 4,124 crore. He also announced that a high-tech sports complex would be established at Gothapatna in Bhubaneswar.
The CM also said the government was committed to completely renovating Barabati Stadium and transforming it into one of the country’s best sporting venues.
Majhi also praised the Odisha Cricket Association for its initiative to establish an under-14 cricket academy. He extended his best wishes to all six teams participating in the league, along with their captains, coaches and cricket enthusiasts.
Former India international cricketer Suresh Raina, who attended the inaugural ceremony, recalled his previous visit to Odisha when he represented the Indian team against Sri Lanka at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
Raina described the Odisha government’s initiative as commendable and said it would encourage young players to express their love for cricket and embrace the sport.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by ruling party Chief Whip Saroj Kumar Pradhan, Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous, Cuttack Sadar MLA Prakash Chandra Sethy, Cuttack Choudwar MLA Souvic Biswal, Angul MLA and OCA Apex Council member Pratap Chandra Pradhan, Tirtol MLA Ramakanta Bhoi, Secretary of Odisha Football Association and President of Odisha Athletic Association Dr Ashirbad Behera, former cricketer Debasish Mohanty, OCA President Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, Vice-President Jagmohan Pattanayak, Secretary Sanjay Behera, along with other OCA members, coaches, players and distinguished guests.
