Chota Nagpur Royals Clinch Inaugural Jharkhand T20 League Title
In a thrilling final at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi, the Chota Nagpur Royals emerged as the first-ever champions of the Jharkhand T20 Cricket League by defeating the Jamshedpur Steelers by seven wickets. The victory was powered by a brilliant unbeaten 78 off 39 balls from Kumar Kushagra, who was named Player of the Final.
Steelers Post Competitive 180/8 After Harsh Rana's Blitz
Batting first, the Jamshedpur Steelers posted 180/8 in their 20 overs. Openers Kumar Karan (28) and skipper Kumar Deobrat (39) provided a solid start with a 32-run partnership before Karan fell. A middle-order collapse saw the Steelers slump to 90/5 in 11.5 overs. However, Harsh Rana counter-attacked with a sensational 64 off 26 balls, single-handedly lifting his team to a fighting total.
Royals' Bowlers Strike Back
For the Chota Nagpur Royals, the bowling effort was collective. Durgesh Kumar (1/15), Suprieyo Chakraborty (1/19), Chandan Kumar Mukhi (1/23), Vikash Singh (1/37), and Rahul Rajak (1/62) each took one wicket, preventing the Steelers from posting an even larger total.
Kushagra and Dwivedi Power Chase After Early Wicket
Chasing 181, the Royals suffered an early blow when star skipper Virat Singh was dismissed for just 1 run. MD Nazim Siddiqui then injected momentum with a fiery 38 off 24 balls. The game was seized by Kumar Kushagra and Himanshu Dwivedi, who stitched a match-winning 110-run partnership for the third wicket. Dwivedi played the anchor role, scoring 51 off 33 balls, while Kushagra remained unbeaten on 78 off 39 deliveries. The Royals reached 184/3 in just 17.2 overs.
Steelers' Bowlers Fight in Vain
For the Jamshedpur Steelers, Aman Kumar Singh (2/24) and Anurag Singh Sengar (1/3) bowled well but could not defend the total. The Royals' batting supremacy proved too strong.
Season Awards and Recognitions
Virat Singh was named Player of the Tournament for his 395 runs and also won the Orange Cap. Pratik Ranjan took the Purple Cap with 17 wickets. Pratyush Kumar was Emerging Player of the Season with 12 wickets. Utkarsh Singh hit the most sixes, and Robin Minz won Catch of the Tournament.
