Nayar, Thakkar fashion BPCL win in DY Patil T20 Cup final

NAVI MUMBAI: With the IPL auctions coming up, Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar, opening the batting, smashed a timely 50 (26b, 8x4, 1x6) and shared an entertaining first wicket partnership with Bhavin Thakkar (49, 43b, 3x4, 1x6) to set-up a comfortable six-wicket win for BPCL over ONGC in the final of the All-India DY Patil T20 Cup, at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.
Nayar and Thakkar's efforts were supplemented by a cameo from skipper Suryakumar Yadav (39 off 28 balls) as BPCL raced to their 159-run target losing just four wickets to retain a title they last won in 2011.
Though the home team was missing from the action, a 25,000 strong crowd turned up to witness the summit clash, which was played in a typically festive atmosphere, resembling the kind of razzmatazz one is used to in the IPL.
Earlier, ONGC, after electing to bat first, finished at 158 for five, riding on Sumeet Narwal's half-century, which included three sixes and four fours. Mayank Tehlan (35, 32 balls, 3x4), Tanmay Srivastava (29 23b, 5x4) and Unmukt Chand 26 (20 balls, 3x4, 1x6) chipped in with useful scores too. BPCL won Rs 7 lakh prize money, while ONGC pocketed Rs 3.5 lakh.
Brief Scores (final): ONGC 158-5 in 20 overs (S Narwal 50, M Tehlan 35) lost to BPCL 159-4 in 18 overs (A Nayar 50, B Thakkar 49, S Yadav 39 not out).