ISPL Season 2: Majhi Mumbai aim for glory as knockouts begin

The second season of the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) has finally reached its business end, with the top four teams from the league stages gearing up for the knockouts. The action kicks off with the first qualifier between table toppers Majhi Mumbai and second-placed Falcon Risers Hyderabad at the Dadoji Kondadev Stadium on Wednesday.
Srinagar Ke Veer and KVN Bangalore Strikers are the other two teams to have made it into the top four.
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Having finished the inaugural ISPL season as the runners-up, Majhi Mumbai appeared determined to complete their unfinished business. They enjoyed a flawless run in their first eight games before a minor blip in the ninth, where they lost to Srinagar Ke Veer. The Mumbai outfit, however, bounced back in the final league stage game to finish on top of the points table with nine wins out of 10 games.

Mumbai’s march to the top of the table has been a result of collective effort from the likes of Rajat Mundhe, who finished the league stage as the second-highest run-getter with 251 runs, and the pair of Abhishek Kumar Dalhor and Ankur Singh, who occupied the top two spots among the highest wicket-takers, with 19 and 15 scalps, respectively.
The trio will be expected to play a key role in the first qualifier, as the winner between Majhi Mumbai and Falcon Risers Hyderabad will earn a direct ticket to the final.

Meanwhile, the Hyderabad outfit has had an inconsistent run, eventually finishing the league stage with six wins from 10 games. The onus will be on star opener Kisan Satpute to deliver a match-winning performance. Among their bowlers, Vicky Bhoir ended the league stage in third place with 13 scalps, while Parveen Kumar’s 12 wickets placed him fifth.
Following the first qualifier, Srinagar and Bangalore will face off in the Eliminator on Thursday, with the winner taking on the loser of the first qualifier in the second qualifier, scheduled for Friday.

All eyes will be on the in-form Sagar Ali, who has been instrumental in guiding Srinagar to the top four after finishing the league stage as the highest run-getter, amassing 372 runs with a highest score of 52. Sahil Longale has also been a consistent force with the ball, securing 12 scalps to place fourth among the top wicket-takers.
KVN Bangalore Strikers narrowly secured a top-four spot despite being the most inconsistent side. While none of their batters or bowlers found themselves among the top five performers in the league stages, they will rely on the duo of Krushna Pawar and Irfan Patel to lead them into the second qualifier.