CHANDIGARH: Before the tournament, Chandigarh’s skipper
Manan Vohra said that we are no underdogs in group C. True to his words the skipper smashed an unbeaten 75 to power Chandigarh to a seven-wicket win over Maharashtra, here on Friday.
Manan was at his dominant best at the Sector 16
Cricket
Stadium. He took his time initially since the pitch had movement and the early loss of Amit Parashar also proved detrimental. Parashar was caught at the point by
Swapnil Gugale
off
Samad Fallah’s bowling off the third ball of Chandigarh’s innings. Thereafter, Manan and Shivam Bhambri (19 off 15b; 2x4, 1x6) stitched together 41 runs for the second wicket. Bhambri gifted his wicket to Satyajeet Bachhav.
Next in, Gaurav Puri (24 off 20b; 2x4, 2x6) gave momentum to the Chandigarh innings. Manan and Gaurav add 44 runs for the third wicket. Bipul Sharma (36 off 17b; 1x4, 3x6) maintained Chandigarh’s ascendancy and was involved in a rollicking partnership of unbeaten 74 runs along with Manan as the hosts achieved their target of 163 in only 17.5 overs and registered their second consecutive victory in the ongoing
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
.
Manan showed his full range of shots and showed why once he was touted as the next big thing of Indian cricket. He pulled, cut and drove on both sides of the wicket to make sure Chandigarh’s run-rate never slackened. The 26-year-old raced to his fifty in just 38 deliveries, reaching the milestone with his second six. He hammered six fours and three maximums in total in his 52 -ball blitz.
For Maharashtra, Samad Fallah (1/45), Satyajeet Bachhav (1/28) and Rahul Tripathi (1/12) chipped in with a wicket apiece.
Earlier, batting first Maharashtra posted 162 for 8 in the allotted 20 overs. Ruturaj Gaikwad (34 off 24b; 4x6) showed what a precocious talent he is. The in-form Pune batsman was looking dangerously and added 45-runs for the second wicket with Kedar Jadhav (13 off 15b; 1x4). But a massive mix up between the wickets costs Gaikwad his wicket. Jadhav also perished in the very next over. He was stumped by Jaskaranveer Singh Sohi off Gurinder Singh’s bowling.
Next in, Naushad Shaikh sparkled briefly for Maharashtra at the start of by clubbing Gurinder Singh for three boundaries, but he then missed an attempted ramp off the same bowler and was bowled for 18 off 10 balls. The major push in Maharashtra’s innings came from Nikhil Naik (50 not out off 34b; 4x5, 2x6). He was the lone ranger for Maharashtra in the slog overs. Sran was clobbered by Naik for 18 runs in the final over off Maharashtra’s innings.
For Chandigarh, medium pacer Shresth Nirmohi (2/18) was the most economical bowler. Left-arm spin duo of Gurinder Singh (2/36) and Bipul Sharma (1/31) also kept the Maharashtra’s batsmen in check.
Brief ScoresMaharashtra: 162 for 8 in 20 overs (Nikhil Naik 50 not out, Ruturaj Gaikwad 34, Swapnil Gugale 22; Shresth Nirmohi 2/18, Gurinder Singh 2/36, Bipul Sharma 1/31)
Chandigarh: 163 for 3 in 17. 5 overs (Manan Vohra 75 not out, Bipul Sharma 36 not out; Satyajeet Bachav 1/28, Rahul Tripathi 1/12)