Kolkata: Gujarat cut short a promising Odisha chase to eke out a 21-run win in their opening match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Saturday.
Odisha skipper Swastik Samal’s decision to bowl first looked justified as medium-pacers Lalit Yadav (3/34) and Debabrata Pradhan (3/36) reduced Gujarat to 29/3 in the fourth over at Eden Gardens.
But then debutant Khilan Patel’s sensational onslaught punctured the Odisha attack. The 19-year-old Khilan smashed 6 fours and 8 sixes to race to 84 off 29 balls. With skipper Urvil Patel, Khilan added 78 runs in just 5 overs to help Gujarat pile up 250/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
Odisha lost openers Samal and Gaurav Choudhury within 3 overs of the chase. Subhranshu Senapati (89 off 47 balls, 6×4, 7×6) and Kartik Biswal (55 off 32 balls, 7×4) revived Odisha’s hopes with a 129-run partnership for the third wicket. But once they fell to the guiles of pacer Arzan Nagwaswalla (4/50), the lower-order batters were left with too much to do.
BRIEF SCORES
Gujarat 250/9 in 20 overs (Khilan Patel 84, Urvil Patel 62; Debabrata Pradhan 3/34, Lalit Yadav 3/36, Soumya Lenka 2/61)
Odisha 229/8 in 20 overs (Subhranshu Senapati 89, Kartik Biswal 55; Arzan Nagwaswalla 4/50, Ravi Bishnoi 2/37).
Result: Gujarat won by 21 runs.
Next match: Odisha vs Vidarbha on Nov 16, Kolkata.