CCL2026: Telugu Warriors knock defending champions Punjab De Sher out of the tournament
CCL2026: Captain Akhil Akkineni’s crackling century and a superb bowling and fielding effort against Punjab De Sher gave the Warriors their first win
Last Updated: 11.36 PM, Jan 17, 2026
It was do or die for both the teams in the 4thmatch of CCL2026. Defending champions Punjab De Sher had lost against the Karnataka Bulldozers and the Bhojpuri Dabanggs had outplayed the Telugu Warriors. In a season cut short to 3 group stage matches each only, a win was imperative for a fighting chance to remain in the tournament. The Warriors, who’d failed to qualify for the semis last year, fought tooth-and-nail and ensured they still had a sliver of hope and knocking Punjab De Sher out of the tournament.
Telugu Warriors bat first - was that the right decision?
When he won the toss and chose to bat first, Akhil Akkineni promised the crowd a cracker of a match. In the company of Ashwin Babu, they started off cautiously, peppering their innings with occasional big hits to keep the score card ticking. At the halfway mark, they were at 75-0, and the way both played, it seemed that they would stay at the crease for the entire quota of 20 overs. The partnership was broken only in the 15th over, with the score at 132, when Ashwin was caught behind after a knock of 60 runs.
Samrat came in Ashwin’s place and lasted only 4 balls, bringing Thaman to the crease. A big hitter, Thaman had been trapped LBW for a duck in their first match. How different would this be? Well, it wasn’t another golden duck, but Thaman failed to fire at his end, declared out for 1 run only. Akhil soldiered on, even as he kept losing partners at the other end. The skipper contributed 101 of the team’s total tally of 184, the first century of the tournament.
Punjab De Sher run out of steam chasing 185
For the defending champions, the chase was a lot harder than they expected, what with the Warriors upping their bowling and fielding game. Wickets fell at regular intervals and fielding was on point, ensuring that what seemed like definite 2-run opportunities were cut to 1 or none at all. After 10 overs, they were at 64-4, with the asking rate climbing steadily.
Karan Wahi tried his best to get them as close to the finish line as possible with a knock of 56, but with the score at 127 in the 17thover, he mistimed a hit meant for the boundary that landed safely in the fielder’s hands. Dakssh, who came in Karan’s place did exactly the same and was back in the dugout with a duck to his credit. Was this match also slipping out of their hands, and, effectively knocking the defending champions out of the tournament?
Unlike the Bengal Tigers, who chased down 200 in the first match of the day, Harrdy Sandhu and boys did not have enough steam to pull themselves out of trouble. The innings folded for 132.
CCL2026 are live on JioHotstar, available via OTTplay Premium also. Stay tuned for the cricketing action of day 3 which includes the return of the Kerala Strikers.
CCL FAQs
Q. When is Season 12 of CCL starting?
A. Season 12 of the Celebrity Cricket League begins on January 16, 2026. Eight teams are in the fray, with the winner getting a prize of Rs 50L.
Q. Which team is the defending champions of CCL?
A. Punjab De Sher is the reigning champions of CCL.