The much-anticipated clash at the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) 2025 saw Mumbai Heroes and Bhojpuri Dabanggs face off with thrilling intensity, resulting in a dominant win for Bhojpuri Dabanggs by eight wickets.
Held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, this exciting encounter formed part of CCL’s eleventh season, which kicked off on February 8, 2025, and continues to capture the essence of celebrity cricket as it has across its successful ten seasons.
Right from the outset, Manoj Tiwari’s Bhojpuri Dabanggs showcased their intentions by winning the toss and opting to bowl first. Opener Saqib Saleem, leading the Mumbai Heroes, seemed determined to defy the decision, scoring 34 runs and forming part of an initial partnership of 45 runs. But as the innings progressed, key wickets fell rapidly, putting pressure back on Mumbai.
Despite Mumbai's setbacks, driven by Saqib and later bolstered by Shabir's explosive 80 runs, they managed to post 126 runs for the loss of four wickets after ten overs. Shabir emerged as a standout performer, delivering an explosive innings with several boundary hits. Saqib's contributions were noted but not enough to anchor the lineup completely, leading to frustration within the team. The Mumbai Heroes' last two overs yielded minimal runs, inviting Bhojpuri Dabanggs to chase down the target with confidence.
When Bhojpuri took the field, the chase began with high energy, and the opening batsman Aditya Ojha accelerated the game early on. His partnership with Azgar Khan quickly became the focal point of the Dabanggs' chase. The duo’s aggressive batting style saw the score reach 102/2 after just six overs, providing Bhojpuri insufficient pressure, which allowed them to capitalize on Mumbai’s bowling weaknesses.
Azgar Khan proved to be the linchpin for his team, making headlines with his impressive performance throughout the innings. Scoring 98 runs during the first innings and following it with another unbeaten 58, Khan's contributions became the cornerstone for the Dabanggs' success, swiftly leading them to victory by surpassing the touring Mumbai Heroes' score of 126 runs with 104 runs at just the end of the fourth innings.
This match, described as the highest-scoring game of CCL 2025 so far, drew considerable attention not just for the nail-biting action on the field but also for the spirited support from fans filling the stands, eagerly rallying behind their favorite teams.
Reflecting on the evening, Mumbai Heroes’ owner, Sohail Khan, expressed disappointment over the loss, particularly highlight the strategy of going 'all-out' to achieve victory, encouraging his team to focus on learning from the match's mistakes. He noted, 'We did try to go big and aggressive, but we need to get tighter on the bowling and fielding sides.'
Bhojpuri team captain, Manoj Tiwari, praised Khan’s performance, saying, 'Azgar’s exceptional innings set the tone for our success today. His aggressive batting and solid partnerships showcased the strength of the Dabanggs.'
With this dominant performance, Bhojpuri Dabanggs not only secured their first victory of the season but also set the stage for what promises to be an exciting CCL 2025, which will include matches on February 14 - 16 across Hyderabad and Cuttack.
Fans can look forward to several highly competitive matchups as the tournament progresses, with the Bhojpuri Dabanggs aiming to maintain their momentum and Mumbai Heroes working on overcoming tonight's challenges.