Lucknow: In the most thrilling match of the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 meet, Odisha players kept their nerve to squeeze out a 1-run win against Railways on Thursday evening.

Young Soumya Lenka’s all-round show helped Odisha record their second successive victory after three defeats in Elite Group A. It was Odisha’s smallest margin of victory in T20s, beating their 4-run win over Jharkhand, according to Cricinfo. ADVERTISEMENT

Soumya, the 22-year-old from Rourkela who made his senior debut in this very tournament, first dazzled with the bat to lift Odisha to a competitive 168/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Stepping out to bat at No. 6 with Odisha reeling at 38/4 in the seventh over, Soumya blasted 6 sixes and 3 fours to remain unbeaten on a 40-ball 75.

Soumya was well supported

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