Dibyagyana Behera's Sensational 68 off 29 Rescues Thunder Strikers From 35/5 to Beat Rising Stars by 26 Runs

April 4, 2026

MATCH REPORT — POWERED BY CRIC TALENTS

KOLKATA, INDIA — Dibyagyana Behera produced one of the most extraordinary rescue acts of the Calcutta Cricket League Season 3.0, smashing a breathtaking 68 off just 29 balls with 8 towering sixes to lift Thunder Strikers from a hopeless 35/5 to a competitive 128/7. The bowlers then completed the job, dismissing Rising Stars for 102/9 as Thunder Strikers sealed a convincing 26-run victory.

Thunder Strikers Innings — 128/7 (13 overs)

Thunder Strikers were in deep, deep trouble. Vimlesh, bowling with remarkable accuracy for Rising Stars, ripped through the top and middle order with figures of 4 wickets for just 10 runs in 3 overs at an economy of 3.33 — a spell of genuinely outstanding quality.

After Yogi Thakur (16 off 12, 2 sixes) provided a brief aggressive start, the wickets came tumbling. Abdul Rahman (10 off 6) fell, Aman Raj (3) was bowled by Vimlesh, Saikat Pobi (2) was caught off Vimlesh, and Alok Kumar went for a duck — also caught off Vimlesh. At 35/5, the innings lay in ruins and a sub-80 total looked inevitable.

Dibyagyana Behera — The Innings That Changed Everything

68 off 29 balls | 2 fours, 8 sixes | SR 234.48

What Behera did from this point was nothing short of miraculous. Walking in at number 5 with his team reeling at 35/5, he didn't just survive — he dominated. Eight sixes — launched with ferocious power to all parts of the ground — transformed the innings beyond recognition.

He found an ally in Qamar Khan Cricket (6 off 11) briefly, but it was his partnership with Rajni Kant (12* off 8, 1 six) that turned the game on its head. The pair added precious runs as Behera continued his assault. He was finally dismissed for 68 — caught by Chaitanya off Shoaib — but by then he had single-handedly dragged the score from 35/5 to 123/7, adding 88 runs in which he contributed the lion's share.

Raju Kumar (4* off 2, 1 six) provided a late flourish to push the total to 128 — a score that seemed impossible just 8 overs earlier.

Vimlesh's Spell — 4/10 in 3 Overs

Credit where it's due — Vimlesh bowled one of the finest spells you'll see in T20 cricket. 4 wickets for 10 runs from 3 overs, with 11 dot balls. He had Thunder Strikers on the ropes and very nearly won the match single-handedly with the ball. His victims included Aman Raj (bowled), Saikat Pobi (caught), Alok Kumar (caught), and Qamar Khan Cricket (caught). Had it not been for Behera's heroics, this would have been the match-winning performance.

Rishav Dubey (1/16, Eco 5.33) was the only other economical bowler. On the other end, captain Avinash Kumar went for 42 runs in his 3 overs without taking a wicket, as Behera targeted him mercilessly.

Rising Stars Chase — 102/9 (11.4 overs)

Chasing 129, Rising Stars started brilliantly. Chaitanya came out swinging with an explosive 34 off 16 balls (1 four, 4 sixes, SR 212.50), attacking from the very first delivery. With captain Avinash Kumar (26 off 17, 3 fours, 1 six, SR 152.94) at the other end, Rising Stars raced to 62/1 and looked set for a comfortable chase.

But cricket is a cruel game. Avinash Kumar retired hurt at 62/1, depriving Rising Stars of their anchor at a crucial juncture. And then the wheels came off completely.

The Collapse — 62/1 to 102/9

What followed was a devastating middle-order collapse. Alok Kumar was the chief destroyer, tearing through the Rising Stars batting with 4 wickets for 25 runs in 2.4 overs. He removed Saheb (0), Chaitanya (34), Ankit Chaurasia (0), and Shoaib (0) — four crucial wickets that broke the backbone of the chase.

Raju Kumar was equally devastating from the other end — 3/24 in 3 overs, dismissing Rajib Paul (0), Ankit Chaurasia (0 — wait, that's Alok's), let me correct: Raju Kumar bowled Rishav Dubey (4), Rajib Paul (0), and Ankit Chaurasia (0) in quick succession to turn the match decisively.

From 62/1, Rising Stars crumbled to 76/5, then 94/6, and finally 102/9. Bishnu Mishra (23 off 18, 4 fours) tried to hold things together, but once he fell at 96/7, the tail offered no resistance.

Only Debaakar Adhikary (7 off 7, 1 six) showed any fight late on, but it was too little, too late.

Bowling Highlights — Thunder Strikers

• Alok Kumar: 2.4 overs, 25 runs, 4 wickets — the match-winner with the ball
• Raju Kumar: 3 overs, 24 runs, 3 wickets, Eco 8.00 — relentless pressure
• Saikat Pobi: 1 over, 7 runs, 1 wicket, Eco 7.00 — tidy spell
• Aman Raj: 1 over, 2 runs, 1 wicket, Eco 2.00 — incredibly miserly

Key Takeaways

• Dibyagyana Behera's 68 off 29 from 35/5 is one of the great rescue innings of this CCL season — he scored over half his team's runs
• Vimlesh's 4/10 was a brilliant spell that deserved to be on the winning side, but Behera's counter-attack was too powerful
• Rising Stars' collapse from 62/1 to 102/9 — losing 8 wickets for 40 runs — was the match-defining passage
• Avinash Kumar's retired hurt at a crucial moment changed the complexion of the chase entirely
• Alok Kumar (4/25) and Raju Kumar (3/24) sharing 7 wickets was a clinical bowling display under pressure
• Chaitanya's 34 off 16 gave Rising Stars a flying start but the momentum evaporated once he fell