Cooch Behar Trophy: Odisha secure first-innings lead victory over Himachal Pradesh

Balangir: Odisha sealed a draw but were declared winners on the basis of a first-innings lead against Himachal Pradesh in their Cooch Behar Trophy Under-19 multi-day encounter at the Gandhi Stadium, here on Friday.

Himachal Pradesh won the toss and opted to bat but were dismissed for 181 in their first innings. Aditya S Kataria top-scored with 57, while Arpit Singh added 41. Odisha’s bowling was led by Priyanshu Mohanty, who claimed an impressive 7 for 60, with Sambit K Beja chipping in with one wicket.

In reply, Odisha built a commanding total of 358, gaining a crucial 177-run first-innings lead. Sambit K Beja starred with a patient century, scoring 100 off 197 balls, while Aditya Anand made a valuable 73. For Himachal Pradesh, Akshay P Vashisht picked up three wickets and Siddhak Dhillon accounted for two.

Himachal Pradesh showed resilience in their second innings, piling up 342 all out. Vaastav R Garg led the effort with a gritty 94 from 174 deliveries, and Aditya S Kataria followed up his first-innings contribution with an 84. Odisha bowler Sayed Tufayl Ahmad delivered a standout performance, returning figures of 6 for 94 to restrict the visitors.