Air India fly high

MUMBAI: It was expected to be a high-voltage title clash and it did live up to its billing, at least till the halfway mark.
Thereafter, though, it was one-way traffic as Air India ruled supreme over hosts DY Patil Group in the Mumbai leg final of the Times Cricket Shield T10 Corporate Challenge in Nerul on Sunday.
DY Patil Group won the toss, opted to bat and began well, with Kumar Subramaniam leading the charge with a 30-ball 77, but slightly floundered towards the end to post 143 for 4 off the stipulated 10 overs.
But home ground fans and familiar conditions count for little against a formidable side like Air India, who overhauled the target in 8.1 overs.
The very first over yielded 26 runs, 22 came off the second. The tone had been set. Another 27 came off the next over. By the time the first wicket fell, that of Sushant Marathe (32 off 12 balls), 82 runs were on the board in four overs.
The other opener, Paul Valtaty, then went berserk, blasting 70 off just 23 balls and blasting eight out of the total 12 sixes hit during the Air India innings.