APL 2026: Erik Roy's fiery 94 powers Jorhat Stallions to nine-wicket win over Tezpur Titans
Guwahati, Aug 10
Opener Erik Roy smashed a breathtaking unbeaten 94 as Jorhat Stallions registered a dominant nine-wicket victory over Tezpur Titans in the 2026 Assam Premier League clash at the ACA Stadium on Monday.
Chasing a target of 161, Stallions reached home in 18.1 overs to secure their second win of the tournament and climb to fourth place on the points table. Roy dismantled the Titans' bowling attack during his 59-ball knock, laced with 10 boundaries and five sixes, and recorded the second-highest individual score of the tournament so far.
Roy shared strong partnerships at the top of the order to make the run chase a stroll in the park. Rajveer Singh contributed a steady 30 off 32 balls, while Swarupam Purkayastha smashed a quick-fire unbeaten 34 off 20 deliveries to take Stallions over the line with 11 balls to spare.
Earlier, Tezpur Titans posted 160/6 after electing to bat first. They suffered an early blow when opener Wasim Akram Haque was run out in the powerplay. Avijit Singha Roy stabilised the innings with a 35-ball 39, and was supported by Nihar Deka (16).
Middle-order batters Roshan Topno and Dharani Rabha both reached double digits but fell to medium-pacer Hridip Deka, who was the pick of the Stallions' bowlers with figures of 3-25. Abhilash Gogoi and Rajjak Uddin Ahmed also chipped in with a wicket each.
A late flourish from Danish Ahmed, who blasted an unbeaten 36 off just 15 balls with four sixes, alongside captain Ayushman Malakar's nine-ball 18, helped the Titans reach a competitive total. But Roy's explosive innings rendered Titans' late charge ineffective as Stallions completed a comfortable chase.
Brief scores:
Tezpur Titans 160/6 in 20 overs (Avijit Singha Roy 39, Danish Ahmed 36 not out; Hridip Deka 3-25, Abhilash Gogoi 1-25) lost to Jorhat Stallions 162/1 in 18.1 overs (Erik Roy 94 not out, Swarupam Purkayastha 34 not out; Ayushman Malakar 1-34) by nine wickets
— IANS
Reader Comments
Danish Ahmed's 36 off just 15 balls at the end for Tezpur was brilliant too, but it just wasn't enough. Roy made it look so easy. The tournament is getting really competitive — this is great for cricket development in the Northeast!
Hridip Deka with 3-25 was the real game-changer for the Stallions. Restricting Tezpur to 160 on what looked like a good batting track was key. Then Roy just finished the job. Great team performance overall, yaar!
While I'm happy for the Stallions, I have to say the Titans' bowling looked pretty ordinary. When you get to 160, you need early wickets. Roy just took the game away from them. Still, it's great to see local tournaments like APL getting this much coverage — cricket is growing in Assam, and that's what matters most.
Erik Roy is on fire this season! 🔥 The way he paced his innings — building partnerships early, then exploding at the end — shows how mature his batting has become. The ACA Stadium crowd must have loved every minute of this chase. Wishing him more success ahead!
Wasim Akram Haque getting run out in the powerplay really hurt the Titans. Losing an early wicket on a batting-friendly wicket always puts you on the back foot. Still, they fought back well to reach 160. But Roy was just unstoppable today. Full credit to him and the Stallions. 🙌
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