Shantanu Mishra guides Sambalpur Warriors to crucial tournament victory
Sambalpur Warriors secured an eight-wicket victory over Puri Titans during an exciting Odisha T20 League CM Trophy clash at Barabati Stadium. Chasing a target of 164, opening batter Shantanu Mishra delivered a match-winning performance by scoring an unbeaten 78 off 59 balls. His steady presence at the crease ensured his team comfortably chased down the total with more than one over remaining. Local cricket fans have closely watched this tournament as a vital proving ground for emerging sports talent across Odisha.
Puri Titans post competitive total
Batting first on a good wicket, Puri Titans put up 163 for seven in their 20 overs. They lost an early wicket but quickly recovered. Adithya Rout and Swayam Srivastava built a solid 73-run partnership for the second wicket. Srivastava made 27 from 23 balls. Rout kept the scoreboard moving and finished as the top scorer with 75 runs off 50 deliveries. Later in the innings, Sarbeswar Mohanty added a quick 20 runs from just 13 balls to close out the innings strongly.
Steady chase by Sambalpur batters
Early trouble struck Sambalpur when they lost their first wicket cheaply. Shantanu Mishra then joined forces with OM T Munde to stabilize the innings. They put together 64 runs for the second wicket before Munde fell for 28 off 21 balls. Soumya R Lenka then came in to support Mishra, hitting a rapid 38 not out off 20 deliveries. This pair kept their cool, easily scoring the required 16 runs from the final two overs to cross the finish line safely. Reflecting on his Player of the Match performance, Mishra stated it felt great to contribute to such an important win. He noted that building partnerships was vital to keeping the chase under control and praised Lenka for his strong finish. Bharat Masala Director Srimanta Panda handed over the top award to Mishra, while Soumya R Lenka took home the Moment of the Match honor from Nishad Phi Vaidya.
