Bilaspur Bulls stay unbeaten, hand defending champion Raipur Rhinos first defeat in CCPL Season 3

Bilaspur Bulls continued their dominant run in the third edition of the Chhattisgarh Cricket Premier League (CCPL), maintaining their unbeaten record with a convincing five-wicket victory over Raipur Rhinos at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium on Monday. The win marked Bilaspur’s fourth successive triumph in as many matches, while Raipur Rhinos suffered their first setback after opening the season with three consecutive victories.

After winning the toss, Bilaspur Bulls elected to field and their bowlers justified the decision with a disciplined performance. Raipur Rhinos were bundled out for 135 in 19.2 overs despite a fighting half-century from skipper Amandeep Khare.

Rhinos captain Khare anchored the innings with 56 runs, while Shashwat Sharda chipped in with 34. However, the Rhinos struggled to build substantial partnerships as Bilaspur’s bowlers struck at regular intervals. Rudra Pratap Dehari and Mohit Raut led the attack with three wickets apiece, ensuring the opposition never gained momentum.

Chasing a modest target of 136, Bilaspur Bulls displayed composure and control, reaching the target in just 16 overs with five wickets in hand. The chase was powered by an impressive 62-run knock from Vikalp Tiwari, who played the anchor’s role to perfection.

Tiwari received valuable support from Pawan Parnate, who scored 32, and Prateek Yadav, who contributed 31, as the Bulls comfortably overhauled the target. For the Rhinos, Faiz Khan claimed three wickets while Ashish Chouhan picked up two, but the total proved insufficient to defend.

The victory further strengthened Bilaspur Bulls’ credentials as title contenders, extending their perfect record to four wins from four matches. For Raipur Rhinos, the defeat brought an end to their winning streak and served as a reminder of the competitive nature of the tournament.

Tiwari was named player of the match for his match-winning innings of 62 runs that guided Bilaspur Bulls to another comprehensive victory.

Bilaspur Bulls lead the points table with eight points, having secured four victories from four matches. The team also boasts the highest net run rate in the competition at 1.826.

Defending champions Raipur Rhinos occupy the second position with six points. The team has registered three wins and one defeat out of four matches, holding a net run rate of 1.437.

Raigarh Lions are placed third on the table with four points, having won two of their three matches and lost one, with a positive NRR of 0.366. They are followed by Surguja Tigers in fourth place, who have secured two points from three matches, registering one win and two defeats alongside an NRR of -0.2.

Bastar Bisons and Rajnandgaon Panthers are yet to open their account in the tournament. Both teams have suffered three consecutive defeats in their three matches. Bastar Bisons sit in fifth place with an NRR of -1.51, while Rajnandgaon Panthers are at the bottom of the table with an NRR of -3.02.