The 2026 Cyprus Cricket T20 Cup, presented by Hurry Curry, kicked off with an action-packed opening weekend.

MSN Sports Club secured an impressive win over the formidable Punjab Lions in a low-scoring contest. Meanwhile, Markhor began their campaign in dominant fashion with a convincing victory against Limassol Moufflons, and Nicosia Tigers edged past fellow Bangladeshi side Cyprus Knight Riders in a nail-biting one-run finish.

The standout result of the weekend came from Amdocs, who stunned defending champions Eagle CC – formerly Al Fatah – with a 12-run victory. Despite missing several key players from last season, Eagle CC were expected to perform strongly, but Amdocs successfully defended a modest total of 119. Hitesh Thadani starred with an all-round performance, claiming four wickets and contributing a crucial 31 runs.

In the clash between MSN Sports Club and Punjab Lions, bowlers dominated throughout. Punjab Lions initially did well to restrict MSN to 109/8, with Vansham taking three wickets. However, MSN’s bowlers responded brilliantly, holding Punjab Lions to just 80/9 in 20 overs. Chandana Prartana led the attack with three wickets, while Supun Delpathadu delivered a remarkable spell of 4 overs for just 6 runs, applying relentless pressure that resulted in two unnecessary run-outs.

Markhor’s encounter with Limassol Moufflons turned out to be one-sided. Despite a promising start from the Moufflons, Markhor’s disciplined bowling, led by Rauf Zaman and Rana Ali Haider – both taking three wickets for nine runs – restricted them to just 79. Markhor chased down the target comfortably, losing only one wicket and finishing the match in the 11th over.

The most exciting match of the day saw Nicosia Tigers narrowly defeat Cyprus Knight Riders by a single run. Although rain threatened to disrupt play, the match went ahead despite some scoring inconsistencies and lapses in discipline. Nicosia Tigers posted a competitive total thanks to vital contributions from national team players Ashish Bam (36) and Roman Mazumder (34).

In response, Cyprus Knight Riders kept pace with the required run rate but lost wickets at crucial moments while chasing 115. Rakib Hasan was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, but it was Arjun Shahi who emerged as the hero, successfully defending six runs in the final over.

Looking ahead, three matches are scheduled for next weekend. However, the spotlight will also be on the upcoming women’s T20 International series between Cyprus and Greece. The series, named the Aphrodite Cup, marks the first-ever T20I meeting between the two nations and their first bilateral contest.

Both teams are currently ranked outside the top 40 in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings, making this series an important opportunity to gain valuable ranking points.

The matches will take place at the Happy Valley Cricket Ground in Episkopi, which will also host the ICC Europe Sub-Regional T20 World Cup Qualifiers from May 14–24, 2026. Ten European teams will compete there for a place in the 2027 regional finals.