Guwahati, 22 August (HS): The inaugural Imperial Blue Packaged Drinking Water Assam Premier League is set for a grand finale as league-stage toppers Guwahati Royals take on Barpeta Braves in the title clash at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, August 23, from 7 pm.

Both teams finished the league stage with 14 points, with Guwahati Royals securing the top spot on a superior net run rate of 0.920, ahead of Barpeta Braves at 0.614.

Guwahati Royals enter the final after a dominant seven-wicket win over Barak Legends in a rain-shortened semi-final. Rohit Sen's explosive 62 off 26 balls played a key role in the victory, while pacer Bastab Roy impressed with figures of 3/18. Roy currently leads the tournament's bowling charts with 22 wickets.

Despite his individual success, Roy said the team's victory remains his priority. He also credited senior players Rishabh Das, Deepak Gohain, Mukhtar Hussain and coach Abu for helping him during his breakthrough campaign.

Barpeta Braves booked their place in the final after defeating Dibrugarh Warriors in a thrilling semi-final. Saurav Mousum Dihingia's unbeaten 63 helped guide the Braves into the title clash, while Shubham Kumar Gupta has been among their key performers with 19 wickets.

Shubham said the team's ability to recover from setbacks and play as a unit has been central to its success. He added that Barpeta would approach the final without putting additional pressure on themselves.

Barpeta, however, will miss captain Denish Das, who has left the team to join his Duleep Trophy commitments. The Braves will now look to other members of the squad to shoulder the responsibility in the title decider.

The final carries a prize of ₹50 lakh for the champions, while the runners-up will receive ₹25 lakh.

With the top two teams of the league stage meeting for the inaugural championship, cricket fans are set for a high-voltage finale on Sunday night.------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash