Prithvi Shaw returns with a bang to blow away Assam
Prithvi Shaw, the promising opener, returned to action after serving an eight-month suspension for a doping violation with a bang. The aggressive opener cracked a 39-ball 63 as Mumbai clinched a comfortable 83-run victory over Assam in the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy game played at the Wankhede stadium. Assam finished with a mere 123 in pursuit of 207.
The 20-year-old scorched the Wankhede stadium with a flurry of shots, and ended up with seven fours and two sixes. After reaching his fifty, he also gestured to the crowd with the willow to indicate that his bat will do the talking. For Mumbai, Aditya Tare also shone brightly with a 48-ball 82 while Dhawal Kulkarni, Shivam Dube and Shams Mulani picked up two wickets each to seal the win. Mumbai are perched on the top of the points table in Group D with 24 points after playing all their seven games and will progress to the Super League.
Abhay Negi of Meghalaya crunched the quickest fifty (completed his 50 off 14) in the history of Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy while playing against Mizoram. The previous record was held by former India batsman Robin Uthappa. He also equalled the fastest T20 fifty in T20 cricket in India jointly held by KL Rahul. Dwaraka Ravi Teja and Negi's fifties also propelled Meghalaya to a 25-run victory. Meghalaya are placed sixth on the points table in Group D.
Brilliant spells
Jaskaran Singh, Chandigarh's medium pacer, starred with the ball in the game against Arunachal Pradesh in Chandigarh with figures of 4 for 25. Jaskaran, who has also played for Deccan Chargers, ripped through the cream of the opposition's middle and lower order to help his side restrict the visitors for just 106 for 9. Chandigarh chased down the modest target in just over nine overs and for the loss of no wickets. Chandigarh are placed second on the table in Group C with 16 points.
Suresh Kumar hit the headlines with a four-wicket haul for Puducherry versus Bengal in Mumbai in Group D. The off-spinner picked up the scalps of Vivek Singh, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Agniv Pan and Shahbaz Ahmed to return figures of four for 17. Eventually, on the back of Damodaran Rohit's 44-ball 55, Puducherry posted a four-wicket victory.
Karan Dagar, the legspinner, also put on a noteworthy show for Delhi versus Sikkim in Surat. Dagar's excellent figures of 4 for 12 ensured Sikkim could muster just 88 for 7 in their allotted overs. Delhi hunted down the target in just nine overs and for the loss of one wicket. Hiten Dalal stroked an unbeaten whirlwind 24-ball 54. After playing all their seven games in Group C, Delhi slot in at the second position with 20 points.
Best of the rest batting performances
MD Rahmatullah's splendid hand of 64 for Bihar went in vain as Uttarakhand sealed the Group A encounter by six wickets. Bihar ended up with 134 for 8, while Uttarakhand crossed the target in the final over. The importance of Rahmatullah's knock can be capsulised by the point that none of the other batsmen from Bihar could score more than 20 runs. Bihar and Uttarakhand are rooted at fifth and seventh positions on the table in Group A.
Dinesh Karthik once again showed his class and quality in his notable career with a 32-ball 58 for Tamil Nadu versus Vidarbha. Karthik, the skipper, who also strung together a stand of 60 with Baba Aparjaith, smashed five fours and three sixes in his innings to take his side to a competitive 168 for 8. Vidarbha were never in the chase and were snuffed out for just 55. TN progress to the Super League on the back of finishing top of the table in Group B.
Pavan Deshpande composed a quick-fire 32-ball 63 to help Karnataka overcome Goa by 35 runs in Group A. The middle-order batsman thumped one boundary and as many as five sixes in his enterprising hand. On the virtue of ending Group A at the top spot, Karnataka also qualify alongside Baroda for the Super League.
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