AFTER A convincing win over local Irani Club yesterday, Baroda XI today suffered a crushing 223-run defeat against PSEB in the 31st Udai-Iftekhar All India Cricket Tournament being organised at Bab-e-Aali Stadium. Maninder Bharadwaj was declared ‘HT Man of the Match’.
The Baroda XI skipper Bobby Badola won the toss and opted to field first. The move backfired. Even after knowing that wicket offered no support to the bowlers, Bobby’s decision of inviting PSEB to bat first after winning the toss surprised everyone. Baroda had convincingly chased 289-run target against Irani Club in the match played on Tuesday.
Though PSEB lost its star batsman Prabhjot at the score of just 20 runs, a rollicking partnership of 125 runs between one-down Sukhwinder and opener Sandeep Kohli made Bobby’s decision look wrong. Sandeep, who played shots all around the ground, was stumped at his individual score of 89 when he charged down the pitch to hit a delivery of Sahu and failed to contact.
Following his teammate Sandeep’s mistake, Sukhwinder failed to concentrate when he had just completed his half-century. Saurav caught him out for 55 runs. But the proper support from other players saw a mammoth 345 runs total in the stipulated 50 overs. Vipul Sharma and Ankur contributed 67 and 33 runs respectively.
{{/usCountry}}Following his teammate Sandeep’s mistake, Sukhwinder failed to concentrate when he had just completed his half-century. Saurav caught him out for 55 runs. But the proper support from other players saw a mammoth 345 runs total in the stipulated 50 overs. Vipul Sharma and Ankur contributed 67 and 33 runs respectively.
{{/usCountry}}Bardoa XI, that entertained the spectators by chasing 288 runs against Irani on Tuesday, disappointed today. Such was the struggle of the Baroda XI while chasing the target that the team had only two batsmen who touched double figure. The team was all out for 122 in 17 overs in which Aaj Shah alone contributed 80 runs.
It was the lethal bowling by Maninder Bharadwaj that spelt doom for Baroda. Maninder scalped five wickets. Chief guest of the Man of the Match award presentation ceremony, former Union minister Sumitra Mahajan, awarded Maninder the trophy. On the occasion, BDCA Chairman Dhruv Narayan Singh, BDCA secretary Dr Shafquat Mohammad Khan, Hamidullah Khan ‘Mamu’, Rajat Mohan Verma and other dignitaries were present.
HT Man of the Match: Maninder Kohli