Kataka: Sambalpur Warriors began their Bharat Masala Odisha T20 League – CM Trophy campaign on a winning note, defeating Kataka Panthers by nine runs at the Barabati Stadium.
Put in to bat, the Warriors posted 193/8 in their 20 overs, with captain Gaurav Choudhary leading the way with a brilliant 88 off just 46 balls. His knock included nine fours and six sixes as he took the attack to the Panthers bowlers.
Choudhary found an able partner in Shantanu Mishra, with the duo putting together a commanding 135-run opening partnership. Mishra contributed a well-made 60 off 40 balls before being dismissed, while Choudhary continued to keep the scoreboard moving at a brisk pace.
The Warriors, however, lost momentum after the captain’s dismissal and began losing wickets at regular intervals. Despite the late wobble, they managed to post a strong total of 193/8.
Abhishek Singh was the standout bowler for Kataka Panthers, finishing with impressive figures of 3/32 from his four overs.
In reply, Kataka Panthers were under pressure early as they lost two wickets in the opening overs. Their problems increased during the powerplay, with the Panthers reduced to four wickets down inside the first six overs.
MG Gopal and Kartik Biswal then joined forces to revive the chase and give their side hope. While Gopal held one end together, Kartik took the aggressive route and attacked the Warriors bowlers at the Barabati Stadium that has hosted international matches.
Kartik’s counter-attacking knock of 56 off 28 balls kept the Panthers in the contest, but his dismissal at deep mid-wicket proved to be a crucial moment. Gopal continued to fight at the other end, but Kataka Panthers kept losing wickets and eventually finished on 184/9 in their 20 overs, falling nine runs short.
Gaurav Choudhary was named Player of the Match for his match-winning innings and received the award from Surendra Natha Panda, Chairman and Founder of Bharat Masala. Mr. Sibaprasad Tripathi, Member of OCA, presented the Moment of the Match to OM-T Munde.
Reflecting on his performance and the team’s winning start, Choudhary said he was pleased to make a strong contribution in the opening game.
“It feels great to start the tournament with a win. As a team, we wanted to begin on a positive note, and I am happy that I could contribute with the bat. The partnership with Shantanu gave us a strong platform, and we were able to put up a competitive total. There are areas we can improve, but getting the first win gives us good confidence going forward,” Choudhary said.
(IANS)
