The match between Kashvi Power Rangers of Keonjhar and Cooperative Kings of Dhenkanal at Barbati Stadium in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Bhubaneswar, May 24: Katak Barabati Tigers (Cuttack) scored a nine-wicket victory over Balasore Baghas today at the Railway Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the Baghas could manage to score 98/9 in their 20 overs. Batsmen Govind Poddar (31) and Avilash Rath (22) tried their best to keep the scoreboard ticking, but Cuttack bowlers devastated the Balasore batting line-up.

Cuttack skipper, Biplab Samantaray and Bibhudutta Panda bagged two wickets each while Manoj Barik, Sanjib Barik and Sagar Rout each claimed one wicket. Chasing the paltry 99-run target, the Barabati Tigers got off to a blistering start and secured a comfortable victory in 17.4 overs for the loss of one wicket. Kameswar scored an unbeaten half century.

The match here was delayed by over 30 minutes due to cloudy weather. Three other games which were played today in Cuttack, Paradip and Sambalpur also started late due to heavy downpour.

Cooperative Kings Dhenkanal played against Kashvi Power Rangers (Keonjhar) at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. The Keonjhar team elected to bat first. Till reports last came in, they had scored 151 runs for three in 20 overs. Narendra Das scored 63 while Arya Debasish Bhatt garnered 59 runs.

Berhampur Bhanja Veers met JSP Sparks (Jagatsinghpur) at Gopabandhu Stadium in Paradip with a scintillating half-century by opener, Subeet Biswal, the Sparks piled up a moderate 100 for the loss of two wickets in 17 overs. After Bhanja Veers’ Lagnajit Samal and Aloke Sahu struck two early blows, a valiant third wicket partnership between Biswal and skipper Rashmi Ranjan Das gave respectability to the Sparks’ tottering innings.

At the V.S.S. Stadium in Sambalpur, Western Samurai (Rourkela) were pitted against Puri Emperors. Batting first, Rourkela had scored 42 runs for one wicket in eight overs as Rupak Pradhan was dismissed for 14 runs.