Cuttack (Odisha) [India], September 21 (ANI): Captain Gourav Choudhury struck 88 from 46 balls as Sambalpur Warriors beat defending champions Kataka Panthers by nine runs in their opening match of the Odisha Pro T20 League 2026 at Barabati Stadium on Sunday.
Last season’s runners-up made 193-8 before restricting Kataka to 184-9 in a contest that remained alive until the final over.
Choudhury provided the centrepiece of Sambalpur’s innings, hitting nine fours and six sixes in an aggressive knock. He was joined by Shantanu Mishra, whose 60 from 40 balls included six fours and two sixes, according to a release.
The pair put on 136 for the opening wicket, taking Sambalpur to 55 without loss after six overs and 105-0 at halfway. Kataka did not make their first breakthrough until the 13th over, by which stage the opening pair had established a platform for a total approaching 200.
Choudhury continued to attack after Mishra’s dismissal before eventually falling for 88. Kataka recovered well towards the end of the innings, with Abhishek Singh taking three wickets, as Sambalpur lost wickets quickly in the closing overs. But 193 proved enough.
Kataka’s reply was disrupted early by Soumya Lenka, who dismissed Sarthak S Prakash and Biplab Samantray and finished with impressive figures of 2-16 from four overs.
Md Danish then removed Subhasis Mallick and Subham Satrujit in the sixth over to leave Kataka 42-4. The defending champions recovered from that difficult start and kept the required target within reach, but Sambalpur continued to take wickets when partnerships began to develop, the release said.
Om T Munde dismissed Kartik Biswal before Sayed Tufayl Ahmad removed Sourav Gouda. Pradeep Pradhan then struck twice in successive deliveries in the 18th over, dismissing M Goutam Gopal and Piyush Mantri as the Warriors tightened their grip on the match.
Kataka continued to chase until the end but could manage only 184-9, leaving Sambalpur nine-run winners. The victory gives last season’s runners-up an encouraging start to the new campaign, particularly against the side that entered the tournament as defending champions.
For Sambalpur, it was a match shaped by their captain: Choudhury’s 88 set up the total before the bowlers successfully defended it.
Brief scores: Sambalpur Warriors 193-8 (Gourav Choudhury 88, Shantanu Mishra 60) beat Kataka Panthers 184-9 (Soumya Lenka 2-16, Md Danish 2-41, Pradeep Pradhan 2-43) by nine runs. (ANI)
Odisha Pro T20 League: Sambalpur Warriors begin campaign with nine-run win over Kataka Panthers
