BHUBANESWAR 12-Jun-2011 360
Western Samurai Rourkela beat home favourites Katak Barabati Tigers in the low-scoring final by four runs to emerge champions in the inaugural Odisha Premier League (OPL) Twenty20 Cricket Tournament, which concluded amidst a 90-minute entertainment show at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack tonight.
Impressive captaincy by India under-22 best cricketer Natraj Behera a three-wicket haul by Amit Das proved to be the major factors for the Samurai win. The champion team bagged the top prize of Rs 4 lakhs, while the runners-up Katak Barabati Tigers received Rs 2 lakhs. Amit Das won the man of the match award, which carried a cash prize of Rs 25,000.
Tigers` captain Biplab Samantaray justified his value as the costliest player of the tournament by grabbing the man of the tournament award which fetched him a Ford Figo car and a cash prize of Rs 25, 000. Subit Biswal (JSP Sparks) and Bibhudutta Panda (Barabati Tigers) were adjudged as the best batsman and best bowler of the tournament respectively. The duo received a Yamaha motorcycle and Rs 10,000 each.
Earlier in the day, JSP Sparks Jagatsinghpur beat Baleswar Baghas by eight wickets to finish third in the high-profile tournament and take home Rs 1 lakh. Fourth-placed Baleswar Baghas settled with Rs 50,000. Saiba Singh starred in the win for the Jagatsinghpur side, bagging five wickets for 15 runs.
Forest and Environment Minister Debi Prasad Mishra graced the closing ceremony as chief guest, while Highter Education and Sports Minister Badri Narayan Patra, School and Mass Education Minister Pratap Jena, Cuttack Barabati MLA Debasis Samantaray, Cuttack Choudwar MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal, Cuttack Mayor Soumendra Kumar Ghosh and Cuttack Collector Kishore Mohanty joined the programme as guest of honour.
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