Arshin’s heroics carry Nashik home

Pune: Maharashtra U-19 player Arshin Kulkarni starred with an all-round performance as Nashik defeated Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (CNS) by four runs (D/L method) in their Maharashtra Premier League MPL match at the MCA Stadium in Gahunje on Friday.Opener Kulkarni made 60 (34b, 3x4s, 5x6s) to set up the platform for Nashik and then defended 16 off the last over to take his side home.Put into bat, Nashik scored 195-6 in their 20 overs with a brief stoppage in play due to rain in the 16th over. Kulkarni and veteran Harshad Khadiwale 43 (34b, 3x4s, 2x6s) gathered 61 runs in the powerplay.Kulkarni was caught by Shamshuzama Kazi off Rameshwar Daud. He was followed by Khadiwale, skipper Rahul Tripathi (11 off 8), India U-19 Siddesh Veer (7 off 9) and Mandar Bhandari (8 off 5) to slip to 135-5 in the 16th over. But Dhanraj Shinde 35 (17b, 1x4, 3x6s) and Kaushal Tambe 21 (14b, 2x4s) ensured that Nashik put a formidable score on the board. The second and lengthy rain interruption took place just 8 balls into CNS’ chase, which resulted in their target being revised to 157 from 15 overs.Nashik-born Murtaza Trunkwala 35 (21b, 6x4s, 1x6) and wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale 46 (24b, 7x4s) started brightly to put on 63 for the opening wicket inside the powerplay, before Trunkwala was caught off Akshay Waikar’s bowling.Brief scores: Nashik: 195-6 (Arshin Kulkarni 60, Harshad Khadiwale 43; Shamshuzama Kazi 2-31, Rameshwar Daud 2-31) beat CNS: 152-6 in 15 overs (Saurabh Nawale 46; Akshay Waikar 2-22). tnn