Will Cuttack, Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, and Puri Shine in Semis?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sambalpur Warriors secured their semifinal spot in a thrilling finish.
- Papu Ray excelled with impressive bowling figures for Keonjhar Miners.
- The semifinals promise to be an exciting showdown between top teams.
- The grand finale is set for September 26 at Barabati Stadium.
- Each team showcased remarkable talent throughout the league stage.
Cuttack, Sep 25 (NationPress) The concluding league match of the Odisha Pro T20 League (OPTL) 2025 delivered an exhilarating climax, determining the four semifinalists set to clash on Thursday. Each of these teams is eager to secure a spot in the grand finale, which will take place on September 26 at the Barabati Stadium.
The last team to progress to the semifinals was the Sambalpur Warriors, who triumphed over the Keonjhar Miners.
In this pivotal encounter between the Keonjhar Miners and Sambalpur Warriors, the Warriors clinched victory by three wickets, with just one ball remaining. Needing two runs from the final two deliveries, Prayash Singh finished the game with a spectacular six, ensuring his team's semifinal berth.
Chasing a target of 142, the innings for the Sambalpur Warriors commenced with Adithya Rout and Shreyansh Bhardwaj. Adithya ignited the innings with 22 runs from 11 balls, while skipper Subhranshu Senapati scored a solid 40 off 36 balls before falling to Papu Ray. Rakesh Pattnaik contributed 21 runs from 18 balls. In the tense concluding moments, Prayash Singh remained unbeaten on 26 off 16 balls, aided by Rama Behera, who added 14 not out from 11 balls, ultimately guiding the Warriors to 142/7 in 19.5 overs.
For the Keonjhar Miners, Papu Ray stood out with exceptional bowling, taking 4 wickets for 19 runs in his 4 overs. Sayed Ahmed (1-33), Govinda Poddar (1-6), and Om T. Munde (1-28) each claimed a wicket in the innings.
Earlier, after winning the toss, the Sambalpur Warriors opted to bowl first. Openers Om T. Munde and Debabrata Pradhan took to the crease for the Keonjhar Miners, but Munde (4) fell victim to a run-out early on.
Skipper Govinda Poddar led from the front with a stunning 71 runs off just 36 balls, well supported by Sujal Singh, who scored 38 from 40 balls. Anil Parida added 12 runs off 17 balls. The Keonjhar Miners finished their 20 overs with a total of 141/9.
For the Sambalpur Warriors, Vimal Kumar (3-26) and Tarini Sa (3-30) were the standout bowlers, each taking three wickets, while Rakesh Pattnaik impressed with figures of 2-7 from his two overs.
Semifinal Fixtures (September 26):
1st Semifinal – 2:00 PM
Sambalpur Warriors vs Bhubaneswar Tigers
2nd Semifinal – 7:00 PM
Cuttack Panthers vs Puri Titans