Chota Nagpur Royals and Santhal Strikers Shine in Jharkhand T20 Cricket League 2026
Jharkhand T20 Cricket League 2026 Concludes League Stage
Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], June 22: The league phase of the Jharkhand T20 Cricket League 2026 has come to an end, with the Chota Nagpur Royals and Santhal Strikers achieving significant victories.
The Royals clinched the final semi-final spot by decisively defeating the Jamshedpur Steelers, while the Santhal Strikers concluded their tournament journey on a high note, overcoming the Dhanbad Diamonds at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.
In the afternoon match, the Chota Nagpur Royals set a formidable target, scoring 211 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their 20 overs. Player of the Match Virat Singh played a stellar innings, remaining unbeaten on 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 powerful opening partnership of 88 runs before Siddiqui was dismissed. Shresth Sagar also added a vital 25 runs off 20 balls to keep the momentum going.
The Jamshedpur Steelers struggled with their bowling attack, with Harsh Rana (1/29), Aman Kumar Singh (1/30), Pranjal Kumar (1/36), and Pratik Ranjan (1/50) each taking one wicket.
In their chase of 212 runs, the Jamshedpur Steelers faltered, getting bowled out for a mere 126 runs in 19.1 overs. A disastrous start saw them lose six wickets for just 38 runs, which severely impacted their chances. Only Harsh Rana's resilient 46 runs off 35 balls provided some resistance, while Shakti Singh added a modest 22 runs off 34 balls.
The Royals' bowling was impressive, led by Rahul Rajak, who took 3 wickets for just 11 runs in 2 overs, while Deepanshu Rawat contributed with 2 wickets for 25 runs in his 4 overs.
In the evening match, the Dhanbad Diamonds batted first but were dismissed for a paltry 106 runs in 18.1 overs. Ram Raushan was the top scorer with 32 runs off 20 balls, and Vikash Kumar Vishal added a quick 26 runs off 17 balls. For the Santhal Strikers, Sanjeet Sharma (4/10) and Anmol Raj (4/20) dominated the batting lineup, each taking four wickets.
The Santhal Strikers made quick work of their chase, reaching 107 runs for the loss of just 1 wicket in 11.5 overs, winning by 9 wickets with 49 balls remaining. Kumar Suraj led the way with an unbeaten 53 runs off 34 balls, supported by Vibhor Pandey's 32 runs off 27 balls. Vivekanand Tiwari (1/28) was the only wicket-taker for the Diamonds on a challenging day.
With the league stage now complete, the tournament is set to transition into the knockout rounds on June 22 at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi.