Barpeta Braves have been crowned champions of the first Assam Premier League after defeating Guwahati Royals by five wickets in the final at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Sunday. Batting first, Guwahati Royals were all out for 165 in 19.4 overs. Barpeta Braves chased the target comfortably, reaching 166 for 5 in 18.5 overs. Arun Sonar finished unbeaten on 34 off 20 balls, while Hrishikesh Das scored 35 and Saurav Dihingia contributed a quickfire 33. Barpeta Braves finished the league stage with 14 points from seven wins and booked their place in the final by beating Dibrugarh Warriors by five wickets in the semi-final.
Saurav Dihingia’s unbeaten 63 guided them through the semi-final match and they were clinical in the Final to lift the title. Rohit Sen of Guwahati Royals ended as the tournament’s highest run-scorer. Bastab Roy claimed the most wickets in the edition Shubham Kumar Gupta was among the leading bowlers for the champions with 19 wickets. Barpeta Braves take home the ₹50 lakh winners’ prize as the first champions of the Assam Premier League.
Barpeta Braves’ journey to the inaugural Assam Premier League title
Barpeta Braves began the Assam Premier League with mixed results but became consistent in the latter stages of the tournament. They finished the league stage with seven wins and 14 points, second only to Guwahati Royals on net run rate, before going on to lift the trophy. The early phase was tough. After losing their opening matches, the team found momentum with a 70-run win over Nagaon Rangers, led by captain Denish Das’s unbeaten 72 and sharp bowling from Bikiran Das and Shubham Kumar Gupta. That victory marked the start of a consistent run.
They beat Jorhat Stallions by eight wickets, with Saurav Mousum Dihingia scoring an unbeaten 64. Later they posted 196 against the same side on the back of Denish Das’s 105 off 42 balls which was the fastest century of the season and defended it for a 12-run win. A seven-wicket victory over Barak Legends, guided by Dihingia and Abhilash Maurya, temporarily took them to the top of the table. A rain-affected win against Nagaon Rangers via the VJD method confirmed their semi-final spot.
In the knockout stage, Barpeta Braves did well under pressure. In the semi-final they chased down Dibrugarh Warriors’ 134, reaching 137 for 5 with Saurav Dihingia remaining unbeaten on 63 and Abhilash Maurya contributing 37 in a crucial partnership. The final against Guwahati Royals tested them again. After restricting the Royals to 165, Barpeta Braves lost an early wicket but recovered through Hrishikesh Das (35), Abhilash Maurya (24) and Arun Sonar’s unbeaten 34. They sealed the chase in 18.5 overs to win by five wickets.
