Guwahati: Captain Denish Das struck an unbeaten 72 from 45 balls as Barpeta Braves defeated Nagaon Rangers by 70 runs in the Imperial Blue Packaged Drinking Water Assam Premier League.
His innings gave Barpeta Braves a strong platform before the bowlers finished the job. Nagaon Rangers were bowled out for 100 during their chase.
Barpeta Braves bounce back after slow start
Barpeta Braves began their Assam Premier League campaign with two straight defeats. They have now responded with back-to-back wins and moved into third place on the points table.
Bikiran Das and Shubham Kumar Gupta led the bowling attack against Nagaon Rangers. Bikiran finished with 4/13, while Shubham took 3/8. The pair shared seven wickets between them and ended the chase quickly.
Denish Das praises his teammates
Although Das played the match-winning innings, he was keen to speak about the team’s effort. He praised the players for staying positive during a difficult opening phase.
“The team is feeling very relaxed after getting the first win of the tournament,” Das said.
“Hats off to the boys because they remained really positive throughout these days, and I’m very happy for them.”
The captain believes that first victory eased the pressure inside the Barpeta Braves camp. The players looked far more settled against Nagaon Rangers and controlled the match from start to finish.
Captain backs his natural game
Das’ unbeaten knock featured four boundaries along with sixes. He did not complicate his approach or spend too much time thinking about the match situation.
Instead, he trusted the method that has worked for him throughout his career.
“Normally, I believe in myself and back my instinct,” Das said.
“That’s what I tell myself every day, and today everything clicked at the right time.”
His calm approach helped Barpeta Braves build a competitive total. He picked the right deliveries to attack and remained at the crease until the end.
Assam Premier League offers players a bigger stage
Das also highlighted the importance of the Assam Premier League for cricketers across the state. The tournament gives players a chance to perform before scouts and a wider television audience.
“Obviously, it is a huge platform, and we want to thank the ACA for giving us such a huge opportunity,” he said.
“There are scouts coming to these matches, and people are also watching us on television. It provides us with a great chance to progress in our career.”
For many domestic players, the tournament is more than a local competition. Strong performances could bring further opportunities and help them take the next step in their careers.
Duleep Trophy next for Denish Das
Das is set to play in the Duleep Trophy after the Assam Premier League concludes. However, he is not looking too far ahead.
He is currently fourth on the tournament’s batting charts with 126 runs. Those runs have come at a strike rate of more than 144.
“There is not much pressure because I play to enjoy the game,” Das said.
“My focus will remain on trying to perform throughout the tournament, and let’s see what comes after that.”
Barpeta Braves climb to third place
Barpeta Braves now have four points from four matches and sit third on the table. Their recovery has come quickly after two early defeats.
Das has been central to that turnaround. His calm leadership and instinctive batting have given the team fresh belief at an important stage of the tournament.