APL 2026: Malakar’s knock seals nail-biting win for bottom-placed Tezpur Titans

Guwahati, Aug 16 (IANS) Tezpur Titans chased down a mammoth 201 in a thrilling run-fest, edging past Guwahati Royals by two wickets with just two balls to spare in match number 30 of the Assam Premier League (APL) 2026 at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday.

Dibash Hazarika’s blazing knock laid the platform for the chase, before skipper Ayushman Malakar produced a late cameo to see Titans home in a dramatic finish. Earlier, Sanjay Kumar Singh’s unbeaten 81 propelled Guwahati Royals to 200.

Having won the toss and opting to field, Titans endured an early setback as Guwahati Royals lost Rohit Sen and skipper Rishav Das inside the powerplay but recovered through Sanjay Kumar Singh. Singh anchored the innings from one end, remaining unbeaten on 81 off 57 balls with four fours and six sixes. Nibir Deka struck a rapid 22 off 13 balls, while Gunjan Jyoti Deka contributed 41 off 27 before being run out.

Nipan Deka then produced a sensational late cameo, smashing an unbeaten 43 off just 10 balls, including 35 runs off the final over of the innings, as Guwahati Royals piled up 200/4 in their 20 overs. Wasim Akram Haque and Danish Ahmed were the only bowlers to find success for Titans, picking up two and one wicket respectively.

In response, Titans lost Wasim Akram Haque cheaply, but Dibash Hazarika and Nihar Deka steadied the chase with a stand for the second wicket. Hazarika played a superb knock of 73 off 42 balls with six fours and six sixes, while Nihar Deka chipped in with 25. Roshan Topno then struck 39 off 24 balls to keep the chase on track, but wickets continued to fall at the other end as Bastab Roy proved a constant threat, finishing with figures of 3/33.

With the equation tightening in the closing overs, skipper Malakar took charge, striking a blistering 41 off just 18 balls with four sixes to keep Titans in the hunt. Wickets kept tumbling around him, including a double blow in the same over that saw both Malakar and Abhinav Choudhury depart, but Prachurya Kataki held his nerve at the death, remaining unbeaten on 7 off just 2 balls, to guide Tezpur Titans over the line. The visitors reached 203/8 in 19.4 overs to complete a thrilling two-wicket win in one of the highest-scoring contests of the season.

Brief scores:

Guwahati Royals 200/4 in 20 overs (Sanjay Kumar Singh 81*, Nipan Deka 43*, Gunjan Jyoti Deka 41; Wasim Akram Haque 2/39, Danish Ahmed 1/15).

Tezpur Titans 203/8 in 19.4 overs (Dibash Hazarika 73, Ayushman Malakar 41, Roshan Topno 39; Bastab Roy 3/33, Nipan Deka 2/34, Samrat Biswas 1/30).

Result: Tezpur Titans beat Guwahati Royals by 2 wickets.

–IANS

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