With a thumping 41-run win over Team Rajasthan, Delhi claimed the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2017-18 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. After Unmukt Chand’s 49-ball 53 helped set Team Rajasthan a competitive 154-run target, the Pradeep Sangwan-led attack bundled out the opponents for 112.
After Sangwan elected to bat, Gautam Gambhir and Rishabh Pant got the team off to a good start with a 41-run opening stand before Rahul Chahal rattled the former’s stumps. The wicketkeeper-batsman who had a life on eight was the next to return to the pavilion in the next over top-edging SKK Ahmed and the ‘keeper taking the catch to leave the side on 41 for two.
Unmukt Chand then joined Dhruv Shorey in shaping the innings. The pair added 48 runs for the third wicket until Chahar had the No 3 bat stumped. 16 runs later, Nitish Rana was sent back by Lamba. And after adding another useful 18 runs with the middle-order bat Milind returned to the dressing room leaving the side on 123 for five. Although he kept losing partners at the other end, Chand anchored Delhi to a respectable total with a sensible innings. 24 runs later, he was trapped lbw by Ahmed with five balls still left in the innings. Lalit Yadav and Pawan Negi then took the side to 153 for six in the stipulated overs.
Chasing a 154-run target, Aditya Garhwal creamed Kulwant Khejroliya for three boundaries in the second over as they picked 15 runs off it. However, skipper Sangwan, who had bowled a tight first over caught Lamba off his own bowling.
While the opener looked to milk the attack, S Khan bided his time at the crease and 36 runs later was removed by Negi. Garhwal ‘s blitzkrieg was ended by Lalit Yadav as the batsmen looked to up the ante leaving the side on 77 for three in the 12th over.
The Delhi bowlers then continued to pick wickets at quick intervals. In the next over, T Dhillion was sent back by Nitish Rana while Khejroliya got the better of M Lomror and Chetan Bist in the following over. Delhi then further tightened their grip on the game by stepping up the pressure. Lamba was removed by Negi leaving Rajasthan reeling on 96 for seven while captain accounted for RK Bishnoi to leave Rajasthan on 100 for eight. R Chahar was dismissed by Subodh Bhati while A Choudhary was the last wicket to fall; taking the aerial route to Milind.
With Sangwan, Khejroliya and Negi claiming two wickets each while Bhati, Rana, Lalit and Milind accounting for one scalp each Delhi sealed victory with five balls to spare.
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