Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26: Odisha edge Railways by one run in last-ball thriller

Lucknow: Odisha scraped home by the narrowest of margins, defeating Railways by one run in a cliffhanger at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, here on Thursday. After posting 169/5, Odisha held their nerve to bowl out Railways for 168 in 20 overs and secure a dramatic win.

Winning the toss and opting to bat, Odisha were led by a brilliant knock by Soumya Ranjan Lenka, who smashed 75 off 40 balls, striking three fours and six sixes at a strike rate of 187.5. His innings provided the momentum Odisha needed on a sluggish surface.

Aashirwad Swain offered valuable support with a steady 48 off 47 balls, ensuring Odisha kept wickets in hand while pushing towards a competitive total. For Railways, Kunal Yadav was the most successful bowler with 2/36, while Karn Sharma returned 1/22 from his four overs.

Odisha finished at 169/5 at the end of their 20 overs.

Chasing 170, Railways fought back strongly through AR Pandey, who hammered 60 off 34 balls, hitting five boundaries and four sixes at a strike rate of 176.47. SA Ahuja chipped in with a brisk 39 off 28, studded with five fours and a six, pushing the chase deep into the final overs.

Despite some expensive spells, Odisha found breakthroughs at crucial moments. Soumya Lenka completed a fine all-round performance, though expensive with the ball, bagged three scalps while giving away 50 runs in his four overs. The pick of the attack was Rajesh Mohanty, who delivered a tight spell of 2/22, applying pressure during the death overs.

The match went down to the final delivery but Odisha’s disciplined death bowling ensured they walked away with a heart-stopping one-run victory.