Cricket / ‘I Idolise Jadeja, Followed Vettori Closely’: Badal Biswal on His Journey

Kataka, Sep 22: The Odisha T20 League-CM Trophy began with a thrilling contest at the Barabati Stadium, where the Bhubaneswar Tigers edged past Keonjhar Miners by seven runs under the DLS method.

The victory was shaped by the brilliance of young left‑arm spinner Badal Biswal, who delivered a composed spell in a rain‑curtailed fixture.

Biswal’s figures of 2‑15 from two overs proved decisive as the Tigers held their nerve while defending a revised target. Complementing his effort was skipper Swastik Samal, who lit up the innings with a blistering 42 off just 18 balls, ensuring the Tigers had enough runs to challenge their opponents.

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Reflecting on the win, Biswal credited the team environment for instilling confidence in players during tense moments.

“Everyone in the team has been very supportive, and the atmosphere has been really positive from the beginning. The coaches, captain, support staff and owners have all given us a lot of confidence and made us feel that we are all in this together. They have backed us regardless of the result, and that belief gives us the freedom to go out there and express ourselves,” he said.

He added that the collective trust helped the Tigers stay calm while defending. “It helped us stay calm and focused when we had to defend the target. We knew the game could change quickly, but we trusted each other and stuck to our plans. Our goal is very clear, we want to win this tournament, and we will take every game as an opportunity to move closer to that goal,” Biswal explained.

The youngster revealed his bowling strategy was built around creating pressure rather than chasing wickets.

“Personally, my plan was to focus on bowling as many dot balls as possible. Dot balls create pressure, and that pressure eventually brings wickets. In T20 cricket, you can concede a six at times, and that is part of the game. You cannot allow one boundary to affect your confidence. You have to back your plans, trust your skills and focus on executing the right length. That was my approach, and I was happy that I could contribute to the team’s win,” he said.

Born and raised in Delhi before moving to Odisha, Biswal has been playing cricket since the age of 12. An all‑rounder by trade, he is determined to make the most of every opportunity.

“I have been playing cricket since I was around 12 years old. I was born and brought up in Delhi before moving to Odisha. I am an all‑rounder and want to keep improving my game in every department. I want to learn from every opportunity and continue working hard. Ravindra Jadeja is my cricketing idol, while I have also followed Daniel Vettori closely. I like learning from players who have performed consistently at the highest level,” he concluded.

(IANS)