In a 1st, CG U-23 team storms into semis after draw with Raj

Raipur: In a boost to the state's cricketing landscape, the state's under-23 team qualified for the semi-final of the Col C K Nayudu Trophy for the first time. Chhattisgarh sealed their historic berth after a draw in the quarter-final clash against Rajasthan, courtesy of a crucial first-innings lead at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium.The men's under-23 multi-day tournament was organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. After Rajasthan elected to field, Chhattisgarh posted 286 in their first innings. Mayank Verma anchored the innings with 81, while Rahul Pradhan added 58. Deepak Yadav (36) and Harsh Yadav (24) chipped in with valuable contributions. Rajasthan bowlers Ganesh Suthar and Chetan Sharma claimed 3 wickets each.In reply, Rajasthan were bundled out for 181 in 75.5 overs, with Sachin Yadav scoring 75. Varun Singh Bhuie starred with the ball for Chhattisgarh, claiming a match-turning 6-wicket haul. Building on their 105-run first-innings lead, Chhattisgarh amassed 284 in the second essay. Mayank Verma continued his rich form with 90, while skipper Deepak Yadav struck a composed 84. Rajasthan, chasing a stiff target, were 84 for 5 in just 11 overs when the match ended in a draw. Dev Aditya Singh picked up 4 wickets in a fiery spell. By virtue of the first-innings advantage, Chhattisgarh advanced to the semi-final, where they will face formidable Tamil Nadu from March 1–4 at the same venue in Nava Raipur. Mayank Verma was adjudged Player of the Match for his consistent performances with the bat.At the top of the batting charts, Mayank Verma was the backbone with 579 runs in 5 matches, including a century and 4 fifties. Ayush Pandey was equally imposing, amassing 489 runs at an average of 98, striking 3 hundreds. Shobhit Sharma (451 runs) and Rahul Pradhan (419 runs) provided solid support in the middle order, while Sahil Rajat Shariff and Harsh Sahu chipped in with crucial contributions.With the ball, Varun Singh Bhuie led the charge with 36 wickets at an impressive average of 17, supported ably by Deepak Yadav (31 wickets) and Prashant Sai Painkra (21 wickets). Mayank Yadav (13 wickets), Vasudev Bareth (11 wickets) and Dev Aditya Singh (10 wickets) also contributed to the team's success.