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Who is Swastik Samal? IPL-reject Odisha prodigy with a double hundred in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Debashis Sarangi

Swastik Samal in action [Source: @sportstarweb/X]Swastik Samal in action [Source: @sportstarweb/X]

Young Indian batter Swastik Samal etched his name in history books as he registered a magnificent double century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He became the first batter from Odisha to score a double hundred in the history of the competition. Added to that, Swastik Samal also recorded the joint-fourth highest individual score in the tournament. 

Swastik Samal's double ton powers Odisha to a mammoth score

After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Saurashtra had a dream start to the match, rattling the Odisha top-order in quick succession. Although Odisha lost three quick wickets, Swastik Samal steadied the ship for them, forming a sensational partnership with captain Biplab Samantray. 

The duo added 261 runs for the fourth wicket, ensuring a formidable total for Odisha in their inaugural Vijay Hazare Trophy encounter. While Samantray slammed 100 runs, Swastik Samal went on to convert his hundred into a double ton, finishing his innings with 212 runs off 169 balls. 

He smashed twenty-one boundaries and eight sixes, playing a pivotal role in propelling Odisha to 345 for six at the end of 50 overs. 

Who is Swastik Samal?

Swastik Samal grabbed the limelight after hammering a belligerent 212-run knock for Odisha against Saurashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. 

He became only the eighth batter to record a double hundred in the tournament, claiming the joint-fourth place on the list of cricketers with the highest individual scores in VHT. Swastik Samal is a young batter from Odisha and has showcased glimpses of his talent in a brief domestic career. 

Swastik was born on July 27, 2000, in Koraput, Odisha. He plays as an opener for his state team across all three formats of the game. Besides representing Odisha in 12 First-Class matches, Swastik has featured in ten List-A and 13 T20s. 

Interestingly, the talented batter was among the 1355 players, who initially registered themselves for the IPL 2026 mini auction. However, he missed out on the final list, with the IPL shortlisting 369 players for the showpiece event in Abu Dhabi.