Unbeaten Century by Sahab Yuvraj Singh Seals Railways Victory
In a closely contested Elite Group D encounter of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2026, the Odisha cricket team suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Railways on Thursday. Despite posting a competitive total of 251, Odisha could not defend the target as Railways chased it down with 5 wickets in hand, riding on a spectacular unbeaten century by Sahab Yuvraj Singh.
Odisha Batting: A Mixed Bag
Put in to bat first at the KSCA Cricket Ground, Odisha faced early turbulence. The top order struggled against the disciplined bowling of Raj Choudhary and Varun Chaman Lal. With the team reeling at 72/4, veteran skipper Biplab Samantray stepped up to stabilize the innings, scoring a patient 43 off 48 balls.
Middle-order batter Sambit Baral provided crucial support, crafting a solid 50 off 65 deliveries to anchor the innings. However, the real fireworks came from Soumya Lenka. Playing a counter-attacking knock, Lenka smashed 56 runs off just 36 balls, including five boundaries and four sixes. His aggression helped propel Odisha to a total of 251 before the team was bowled out in the final over.
Railways bowlers Raj Choudhary and Varun Chaman Lal were the pick of the attack, claiming three wickets each to restrict the flow of runs.
Railways Chase: From Collapse to Victory
Defending 251, Odisha started well with the ball. Govinda Poddar delivered a sharp spell, picking up 2 wickets for 46 runs, reducing Railways to a precarious 140/5 in the 31st over. At that stage, an Odisha vs Railways victory seemed likely for the state side.
However, the game turned on its head due to a match-winning partnership between Sahab Yuvraj Singh and Zubair Ali. Singh played the innings of a lifetime, scoring an unbeaten 118 off 134 balls. He found an able ally in Zubair Ali, who blasted a quickfire 65* off just 43 balls. The duo stitched together an unbroken partnership that dismantled the Odisha bowling attack, guiding Railways to 254/5 with 28 balls to spare.
This loss leaves Odisha looking to bounce back in their next fixture, while Railways will take immense confidence from their gritty middle-order performance.
