Orissa and Delhi clashed in the 1998-99 Ranji Trophy Super League at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. This was the final engagement for both teams and after lying dormant for the better part of the Super League, the Orissa batsmen erupted into a flurry of activity in this particular fixture. None more so than Shiv Sunder Das.

After winning the toss and batting, Orissa forced the visitors to spend more than two full days in the field. They finished the first day at 278/3 with opener Das unbeaten on 123. Das had compiled a 180 run second wicket stand with Pravanjan Mullick, who also cracked a hundred, and followed it up with a 77 run association in the company of Sanjay Raul. The next morning he found another resolute ally in Rashmi Ranjan Parida. The partnership between the two had swollen to 114 runs by the time Das was run out for 178.

Das' nine hour long occupation of the crease, in the course of which he faced 387 balls, included thirteen hits to the fence. Orissa ran up an imposing 561 before their innings terminated on the third day. In reply Delhi were hustled out for 303, leaving the home team with 56 overs of batting in which they made 211/5. Although Orissa took first innings points, their progress in the competition came to a halt with this game. But the contest offered, in full measure, a glimpse of the latent potential of Orissa cricket and their latest showpiece, 21 year old Shiv Sunder Das.