Bhubaneswar, Nov 13: After enduring heavy defeats to Baroda and Mumbai, Odisha faces a critical challenge as they prepare to take on Maharashtra at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, starting Wednesday. Currently sitting in seventh place in the eight-team Elite Group A standings, Odisha has managed to secure only four points from their first four matches. In contrast, Maharashtra has earned eight points and will enter the match as the stronger side.
Odisha’s batting has been a major concern this season. Aside from a century from captain Govind Poddar against Jammu & Kashmir and Sandeep Pattnaik’s century in a losing effort against Mumbai, the rest of the batting line-up has lacked consistency. For Odisha to salvage some points in this fixture, their batsmen will need to step up and deliver solid performances across the board.
The Barabati pitch is expected to favor seamers early on, offering some movement for pacers in the morning session before becoming easier to bat on as the day progresses. Odisha’s batsmen will need to approach the opening stages with caution, ensuring they tackle the pacers effectively before settling into their innings.
With both teams in need of a positive result, this upcoming clash promises to be a challenging encounter. Odisha’s ability to tighten up their batting and adapt to the conditions will be crucial if they hope to recover and claim much-needed points against Maharashtra.