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Ranji Trophy: Chandigarh log resounding win over Delhi
Making use of the turning wicket, 20-year-old left-arm spinner Nishunk Birla (12 wickets in both innings) and opener Shivam Bhambri (80 and 100 not out) who looked in blazing form, set up Chandigarh’s triumph over Delhi.
Chandigarh senior men’s cricket team is on a roll. With impressive wins against Assam and Jharkhand behind them, Chandigarh showed off their mettle recording a resounding nine-wicket win over formidable Delhi in a Ranji Trophy game which concluded at the Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 26, Chandigarh, on Saturday.
Making use of the turning wicket, 20-year-old left-arm spinner Nishunk Birla (12 wickets in both innings) and opener Shivam Bhambri (80 and 100 not out) who looked in blazing form, set up Chandigarh’s triumph over Delhi.
Needing 157 runs to win on the final day of the match, Chandigarh lost one wicket in the form of Arslan Khan (80) to chase the target. Captain Manan Vohra too remained unbeaten at 24 along with Bhambri. Delhi bowlers lacked intent and failed to make an impact to restrict the hosts.
With a third straight win in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, captain Vohra gave credit to both Birla and Bhambri for the win and felt this was the best win for Chandigarh since it came under the BCCI fold in 2019.
“Although, we beat Jharkhand in the previous game and it was special, this win against Delhi is the best win for Chandigarh since we started playing domestic cricket. Nishunk bowled well and the opposition batters failed against him. He made his Ranji debut against Railways this season and has been bowling with responsibility since then. Full marks to Shivam for his ‘strokeful’ knocks. We want to continue the winning momentum and aim to qualify for the next stage,” said seasoned Vohra.
After bowling out Delhi for 276 runs, Chandigarh amassed 324 runs and gained a slight lead of 48 runs. Visitors collapsed at 250 runs in the second innings and posed a target of 203. On the last day of the match, Chandigarh resumed its overnight score of 46/0. Khan scored 68 runs with the help of five boundaries and five sizes in his 81 deliveries. Bhambri held the other end with skipper Manan Vohra. Bhambri (100 not out) completed his century in the last moments of the match well before lunch. His century was studded with seven boundaries and six sixes in 130 balls.
Chandigarh’s next match will start from November 13 against Saurashtra at the same venue. Chandigarh now sits atop the standings in Group D with 19 points in four matches.
Meanwhile, Delhi has three matches left against Jharkhand, Saurashtra and Railways respectively with the first one being a home game.
Former India off-spinner and national selector Sarandeep Singh who is Delhi’s head coach will have to rethink and work on the strategy for his team to do better to surge in the next stage. It would have required a far better effort from the two left-arm spinners Sumit Mathur and Shivank Vashist, who bowled too many loose deliveries in the match. Yash Dhull hammered 121 runs in the first innings for Delhi which was the only notable contribution from the visitors.
Birla has bagged 28 wickets already for Chandigarh in the current Ranji Trophy season. Expressing his thrill over the win, he said, “It is a very special win for the team. I am happy to be part of the team and contribute my bit. The wicket had help for the spinners and I have bowled at this ground before. I just bowled according to the team plan. The senior team is a big platform for me at 20. To make use of this chance, I am bowling to the best of my abilities and also learning a lot from the seniors in the teams. Hoping to continue like this and win the next game.”
