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IPC XI register thumping win over Varanasi
IPC XI registered a thumping 58-run victory over strong Varanasi in the Manish Agnihotri memorial all-India cricket tournament being played at the Old Campion grounds in Bhopal on Monday.
IPC XI registered a thumping 58-run victory over strong Varanasi in the Manish Agnihotri memorial all-India cricket tournament being played at the Old Campion grounds in Bhopal on Monday.
Wining the toss, IPC opted to bat. Opener Mudassar Pasha played according the expectations. He scored runs almost on every delivery he faced. However, he could not restrain himself from hitting over the infield on the delivery of Sunil and lost his wicket for 36. After the fall of his wicket, the team lost two more batsmen of the upper order for 78.
But senior player Suhail Masood put brakes over the regular fall of wickets. He along with third down Murtuza Ali stitched the highest partnership of the tournament. Adding 159 runs for the fourth wicket, both the batsmen put the team on the driver seat.
However, luck did not favour the highest scorer Murtuza Ali, as he lost his wicket when he was just five short of century. He was caught by Sunil on the ball of Abhay. Suhial Masood scored important 64 runs. Two good innings enabled the IPC to set the highest total of the tournament. The team set 278 runs target for the opponents. Sunil was the most successful bowler for the visitors. His spell accounted four important wickets of the IPC.
When Varanasi started the run chase, IPC seam attack posed problems to the upper order. Asad Baig, who was outstanding
against Jabalpur in the inter-division match, repeated his performance.
His swinging cherry restricted the batsmen to play liberally. Giving his best on a batting track, the medium pacer Asad scalped two consecutive wickets in his fourth over.
However, he missed a hat trick. ‘Sehore Express’ Munis Ansari, however, failed to impress. His spell cost 55 runs with one
wicket.
Varanasi lost their best five for just 52 runs. When the team was on the verge of a big defeat, Naved Khan and JP Singh played responsible innings. They took the score from 52 to 164. But both failed to answer the short run up bowling by Mudassar Pasha.
Mudassar bowled them out and brought the IPC back in the match. Naved scored 90 runs as the team lost the match by 58 runs.
Asad scalped four wickets for IPC. Murtuza Ali was declared ‘man of the match’. Bal Bhavan School director Omar Lai presented ‘man of the match trophy’ to Murtuza.
BDCA vice-president Aruneshwar Singhdeo, JP Tyagi, rajesh Agnihotri, Sushil Singh, Sanjeev Agnihotri, Abhay Goswami, Vinod Halve, Milin Sagorkar and others were present on the occasion.
Match on Tuesday
BSNL XI vs Collag Group Delhi.
BSNL to take on Collag Group today
The most powerful team of the tournament BSNL XI will take on Collag Group Delhi in their first match on Tuesday. The star- studded BSNL recently defeated big teams in Lucknow. City star Mohnish Mishra, Duleep Trophy player Brijesh Tomar and Satish will represent the BSNL team. Coach Suresh Chenani has expressed for an easy win. Collag defeated St Michael’s Cricket Academy (SMCA) on Sunday.
