APL 2026: Fifties by Nihar, Roshan power Tezpur Titans to first win of season
Guwahati, Aug 12
Tezpur Titans registered their first win of the season, chasing down 159 to beat Barak Legends by seven wickets in the Assam Premier League 2026 at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday.
A commanding 136-run stand between Nihar Deka and Roshan Topno powered the chase, with the pair putting the Legends bowling attack to the sword.
Earlier, Bishal Saha's unbeaten 81-run knock had lifted Legends to a competitive total after a middle-order stumble.
Deciding to field after winning the toss, Titans struck twice in the Power-play to reduce Barak Legends to 32/2, with Aman Singh and Subham Mandal both departing cheaply. Shraban Kumar Khound added 18 before falling, and skipper Sibsankar Roy contributed 21, but wickets continued to tumble at the other end.
Through it all, Bishal Saha anchored the innings superbly, remaining unbeaten on 81 off 58 balls with seven fours and two sixes. Ayushman Malakar was the pick of the bowlers for Tezpur Titans with 2/33, while Wasim Akram Haque, Danish Ahmed, Abhinav Choudhury, Nihar Deka and Dharani Rabha shared the remaining wickets as Barak Legends posted 158/7 in their 20 overs.
In response, Titans lost both openers cheaply, with Wasim Akram Haque out for a duck off the very first ball and Dibash Hazarika following soon after, leaving their side reeling at 6/2. Nihar and Roshan then came together and took the game away from Legends, putting on 136 runs for the third wicket.
Nihar struck a scintillating 72 off 44 balls with five fours and five sixes before falling to Abdul Ajij Kuraishi, but Topno continued unabated, remaining unbeaten on 72 off 46 balls with seven fours and three sixes. He dominated proceedings as Tezpur Titans cruised to 159/3 in 17.5 overs to complete a comfortable seven-wicket win and open their account for the season.
Brief scores:
Barak Legends 158/7 in 20 overs (Bishal Saha 81*, Sibsankar Roy 21; Ayushman Malakar 2/33, Wasim Akram Haque 1/23, Nihar Deka 1/20).
Tezpur Titans 159/3 in 17.5 overs (Nihar Deka 72, Roshan Topno 72*; Abdul Ajij Kuraishi 2/21, Mohit Thakur 1/21).
Result: Tezpur Titans beat Barak Legends by 7 wickets.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Bishal Saha's 81* was brilliant but unfortunately it went in vain. Wasim Akram Haque getting out on the very first ball must have been a shock for Titans' fans, but the way Nihar and Roshan recovered showed real character. What a match!
Roshan Topno deserves special mention - staying unbeaten on 72 after coming in at 6/2 is no joke. The composure he showed under pressure was remarkable. APL is proving to be a great platform for these young cricketers from the Northeast.
Great comeback from Tezpur Titans after being 6/2. That 136-run partnership was the difference. The Assam Premier League seems to be getting more competitive each year. Nice to see the sport growing in the region!
Really impressed with the quality of cricket in APL. Bishal's knock kept Legends in the game, but the Titans' chase was clinical. Hope this league keeps getting the support it deserves from the state government.
The match had everything - a collapse, a recovery, and a dominant chase. Nihar's 72 off 44 was explosive, but I feel the Legends bowlers were a bit predictable. Still, great entertainment for the fans at the ACA Stadium! 🙌
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