Vijay Merchant Trophy: Midanshu Das’ century puts Odisha in command against Pondicherry on Day 1

Gwalior: A resolute century from Midanshu Das anchored Odisha’s innings as they reached a solid 248 for 4 at stumps on Day 1 of their Vijay Merchant Trophy (U-16) multi-day match against Pondicherry at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium on Monday.

After Pondicherry won the toss and elected to field, Odisha built their innings patiently, led by Das, who displayed remarkable composure for his 136 off 179 balls. The right-hander struck 21 fours, laying a strong foundation for his side.

At the other end, Aurobinda Muduli provided steady support and remained unbeaten on 40 from 133 deliveries at the close of play. Muduli’s knock ensured momentum did not slip away, even as wickets fell at intervals during the middle session.

Pondicherry’s bowlers toiled hard but found limited success. Anshif was the pick of the attack, returning figures of 2 for 46 from his 14 overs, maintaining a tight line and length throughout. Bharani chipped in with a wicket, conceding 48 runs from his 15 overs, while keeping the scoring rate in check.

With Odisha well placed at 248 for 4 after 73 overs, the onus will be on Pondicherry to strike early on Day 2 to prevent the batting side from posting a commanding first-innings total.