Haryana Stuns Odisha with Record Chase Despite Swastik Samal’s Century
Heartbreak struck the Odisha camp on Saturday as a commanding position turned into a shocking defeat against Haryana. Playing at the KSCA Cricket Ground in Alur, the Odisha vs Haryana Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite Group D match saw one of the most dramatic turnarounds of the 2026 season. Despite posting a massive total of 305, Odisha lost by 4 wickets with just 8 balls to spare.
Odisha Batters Shine Early
Batting first, the Odisha cricket team displayed excellent form. Although opener Om Munde fell for 20, Swastik Samal anchored the innings brilliantly. Samal smashed a magnificent 101 runs off 102 balls, hitting 10 boundaries and 3 sixes. He found a capable partner in Govinda Poddar, who scored a brisk 77 off 82 deliveries.
Captain Biplab Samantray added late fireworks with a quick 47 off 39 balls. Their collective effort propelled Odisha to a formidable total of 305/9 in their 50 overs. Haryana’s bowlers Parth Vats and Anuj Thakral took three wickets each, but the momentum seemed firmly with Odisha at the break.
Haryana’s Nightmare Start
Odisha’s bowlers started the second innings aggressively. Rajesh Mohanty and Debabrata Pradhan ripped through the Haryana top order, reducing them to a precarious 14/3 within the first six overs. Key batters like Ankit Kumar and Himanshu Rana were back in the pavilion cheaply. When Rahul Tewatia fell, leaving Haryana struggling at 133/6 in the 31st over, a win for Odisha looked certain.
Parth Vats Turns the Tide
However, the game changed completely with the arrival of Parth Vats. Already successful with the ball, Vats played the innings of a lifetime. He scored a stunning, unbeaten 157 off just 136 balls. Partnering with Anuj Thakral, who remained not out on 59, Vats orchestrated a miraculous recovery.
The duo stitched together a match-winning partnership that dismantled the Odisha bowling attack in the final overs. Haryana reached 309/6 in 48.4 overs, sealing a memorable victory. Vats was rightfully named Player of the Match for his all-round brilliance.
This loss will be a bitter pill to swallow for Odisha, who dominated the majority of the contest but failed to break the final partnership.
