The
final weekend of the league phase had an enticing line-up of 3 matches – Stoners
vs Invincible XI, Delhi Donuts vs Hindustan Tiles, and Shekh Sarai XI vs SRT
XI. All 6 teams were still in the fray, and we were looking forward to some close
and exciting encounters!
Saturday: Stoners vs Invincible XI
The final
game of group B was a straight knock-out. Both teams were locked on 2 points
each, and the winner would join CSCA in the eliminator stage. Invincible XI won
the toss and chose to field first.
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| Ayush the Man of the Match |
Openers Sandy
and Akshar gave Stoners a steady start, putting on 32 from the first 4 overs.
However, in the fifth over of the innings, Invincible XI delivered their first
and, as it turned out, only punch of the match. Ashish picked up Akshar’s wicket, and that
brought Ayush to the crease. Ayush is a batsman with a calm and imposing
presence and massive power. He had a fifty from his first game, and as he
slapped 2 boundaries from his first 4 balls, he looked focused and threatening.
Invincible XI knew they had to get him early. They could not, and what followed
was absolute carnage. Ayush hammered 83 not out from 45 balls (the highest
score of the tournament) and towards the end of the innings, he was joined by
Sid, who blasted 39 from 15 balls. Stoners got 90 from their last 6 overs to
end up with an impressive 197/5.
For a relatively
weak batting line-up this chase was next to impossible, and Invincible XI never
looked like they were in the game. Manish (25) and Yatin (20) put up a brief
resistance, but ultimately Invincible XI were bowled out for 121 from 18 overs.
Stoners captain Mustafa topped the bowling charts with 4/21 from his 4 overs. There
was absolutely no doubt as to who the SPARTAN Man of the Match was going to be!
Stoners: 5/197 in 20 overs
Ayush 83* (45)
Sid 39* (15)
Vikas 3/39 (4)
Invincible XI: 121 all out in 18 overs
Manish 25 (13)
Mustafa 4/21 (4)
Varun 2/19 (3)
SPARTAN Man of the Match: Ayush
Sunday: Delhi Donuts vs Hindustan Tiles
The Group C
scenario was complicated, with all four teams still in with a chance to
qualify. Delhi Donuts had to beat Hindustan Tiles by a big margin, and then
hope that Shekh Sarai beat SRT XI. Delhi Donuts won the toss and elected to bat
first. However, as it often happens in a do or die encounter, this one turned
out to be an anti-climax.
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| Sudesh from Hindustan Tiles |
Opener
Rahul was the only one who put up some runs on board with 31 from 24 balls. The
rest of the batsmen walked in and out in rapid succession, as the entire team
was bowled out for 69, the tournament’s lowest total. Sudesh ‘Billa’ (4/15 in 4
overs) and Bunty (3/22 in 4 overs) were the chief destroyers. Hindustan Tiles
had to chase the score in 9 overs to be guaranteed qualification, irrespective
of next match’s result. That they did easily, knocking off the target in 8.4
overs. The man of the match without any doubt was left-arm spinner Sudesh.
Delhi Donuts: 69 all out
Rahul 31 (24)
Sudesh ‘Billa’
4/15 (4)
Bunty 3/22 (4)
Hindustan Tiles: 3/75 in 8.4 overs
Sachin 26 (25)
Sameer 18* (7)
Prateek 2/31(3.4)
SPARTAN Man of the Match: Sudesh
Sunday: SRT XI vs Shekh Sarai XI
The
excitement that was missing from the first two games of the weekend, was
delivered in some style in the tournament’s final league game that pitted two
evenly matched teams against each other. SRT XI had a win and a defeat from their
first two games, and Shekh Sarai XI had 2 wins. Hindustan Tiles had already
qualified, and SRT XI had to win and win big, in order to knock Shekh Sarai
out. Shekh Sarai XI won the toss and elected to bat first, hoping to put up a
big total and shut out the game.
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| Paras the Man of the Match |
Opener
and captain Digvijay was a crucial performer for the batting team, and when
Harshit knocked him out in his first over, it was a big blow for Team Shekh
Sarai. The trouble was compounded when Akshar was sent packing by Dhruv in the
5th over. Shekh Sarai were 27 for 2 at that point. Ajay and Junmeet,
however, steadied the innings and bolstered the run rate. They both scored 37
each, and with small supporting innings from the rest of the batsmen, they took
the Shekh Sarai total up to a fighting 162 from 20 overs. Siddhant (3/39), Paras
(2/29) and Harshit (1/17) were the key bowlers.
Net
Run Rate calculations followed as both teams waited anxiously. The equation was
that SRT XI had to chase down the runs in 14.2 overs in order to qualify. In other
words, they needed no holds barred hitting from ball one. However, at 23 for 2
from 4 overs, it seemed like another dull encounter was about to follow. Paras
and Mohit Rawat had other ideas, however. With 140 needed from 62, they
unleashed a deadly cocktail of power and timing. They put on 74 from the next 6
overs, and Gaurav, the top wicket taker of the tournament, was being carted all
over the park for boundaries and sixes.
Unfortunately
for SRT XI, though, with 55 needed from 21 balls, Mohit Rawat nicked one to the
wicketkeeper. He was gone for 46. That knocked the steam out of the SRT
innings, and although Paras fought valiantly for 64, SRT XI only managed to
reach 137 from 14 overs. After fighting so hard this was a heartbreak, and although
SRT XI needed just 26 from 6 overs to win the game with 7 wickets in hand, they
ended up losing the match by 5 runs! Captain Digvijay (3/8 from 3 overs) and Karamveer
(2/11 from 3 overs) bowled the final overs craftily. Paras from the losing side
was our man of the match for fighting contributions with both bat and ball.
Shekh Sarai XI: 9/162 in 20 overs
Ajay 37 (30)
Junmeet 37 (24)
Siddhant 3/39 (4)
Paras 2/29 (3)
SRT XI: 157 all out in 20 overs
Paras 64 (35)
Mohit 46 (26)
Digvijay 3/8 (3)
Karamveer 2/11 (3)
SPARTAN Man of the Match: Paras
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