All round show helps State qualify

Sachin top-scores; Rajvardhan, Shubham claim 3 to get past Karnataka

Oct 13, 2021 - 21:43

PUNE: Maharashtra had a good day in the office with an all-round effort that helped them qualify.

Riding on a season-best knock by vice-captain and top-order batter Sachin Dhas (92) and two brilliant three-wicket spells by Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Shubham Kharat Maharashtra registered a 70-run win over Karnataka in Quarter Final-2 of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, at the Narendra Modi Stadium Ground ‘B’, Motera, Ahmedabad.

Maharashtra skipper Abhishek Pawar on winning the toss had his team set 185 before being bowled out in the 49th over. But then, did well to restrict Karnataka to 117 in an innings that lasted 37.1 overs.

Maharashtra’s innings wobbled with opener Kiran Chormale and Ashkan Kazi falling cheaply and the scoreboard reading 14/2, before Arshin Kulkarni also perished with just 22 on the board.

At the end of the 14th over, Maharashtra was further reduced to 38 as skipper Abhishek fell.

The innings needed a solid effort and a lasting partnership. Sachin and Kaushal Tambe then stitched 71 runs for the fifth wicket and build the innings.

Kaushal (24) departed – incidentally for the second-highest score of the innings - and going further offering support at one end was Vicky Ostwal (14) and Shubham (15). Sachin at the other end played a sheet anchor innings to top score in the match.

Karnataka, who were runners-up in Group-E, had opening bowler Dhanush Gowda (3/23) bowl 4 maidens in the 9 that he sent down.

Karnataka, in reply, had no reply to Maharashtra bowlers who were accurate and bowled tight. Sample this: 17/2 and 23/4 were stages when two wickets fell at the same scoreline! And causing the fall was seamer Rajvardhan, which included sending back Smaran R and Chinmay NA for ‘ducks’.

Rajwardhan Hangargekar (3/19)

Shubham periodically took his wickets leaving the Karnataka innings short of batters. Shreyas SP (31) top-scored and Dhruv Prabhakar (19) lent some delayed support to push the innings past the three-figure mark.