Chota Nagpur Royals and Santhal Strikers Shine in Jharkhand T20 Cricket League 2026

League Stage Concludes with Exciting Matches

The league phase of the Jharkhand T20 Cricket League 2026 has come to an end, featuring impressive victories by the Chota Nagpur Royals and the Santhal Strikers. The Royals clinched the final semi-final spot by defeating the Jamshedpur Steelers, while the Strikers concluded their league journey with a win over the Dhanbad Diamonds at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.

Royals Secure Semi-Final Spot with Virat's Century

In a thrilling afternoon match, the Chota Nagpur Royals set a formidable target of 211 runs, scoring 211/4 in their allotted 20 overs. Virat Singh was the standout performer, achieving an unbeaten century with 106 runs off 58 balls. He was well-supported by MD Nazim Siddiqui, who contributed a brisk 54 runs off 32 balls. Together, they formed a strong opening partnership of 88 runs before Siddiqui's dismissal. Shresth Sagar also added a valuable 25 runs off 20 balls to keep the momentum going.

The Jamshedpur Steelers struggled with their bowling, with Harsh Rana (1/29), Aman Kumar Singh (1/30), Pranjal Kumar (1/36), and Pratik Ranjan (1/50) each taking one wicket.

In response, the Steelers faced a disastrous start, losing their first six wickets for just 38 runs and ultimately being bowled out for 126 runs in 19.1 overs. Harsh Rana's resilient 46 runs off 35 balls was the highlight for the Steelers, while Shakti Singh added 22 runs off 34 balls. The Royals' bowling was led by Rahul Rajak, who excelled with figures of 3/11 in 2 overs, and Deepanshu Rawat, who took 2/25 in 4 overs.

Strikers Triumph Over Diamonds in Final League Match

In the evening match, the Dhanbad Diamonds batted first but were dismissed for a mere 106 runs in 18.1 overs. Ram Raushan was the top scorer with 32 runs off 20 balls, while Vikash Kumar Vishal added a quick 26 runs off 17 balls. The Santhal Strikers' bowlers, particularly Sanjeet Sharma (4/10) and Anmol Raj (4/20), dominated the Diamonds' batting lineup, each taking four wickets.

The Strikers chased down the target effortlessly, reaching 107/1 in just 11.5 overs, winning by 9 wickets with 49 balls remaining. Kumar Suraj led the chase with an unbeaten 53 runs off 34 balls, supported by Vibhor Pandey's 32 runs off 27 balls. Vivekanand Tiwari was the only wicket-taker for the Diamonds, finishing with figures of 1/28.

Knockout Stage Approaches

With the league stage concluded, the tournament is set to transition to the knockout rounds on June 22 at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.