SMAT 2021-22: Hyderabad tops group, pips Delhi in last-ball thriller
Hyderabad batters Tanmay Agarwal (54) and Tilak Varma (37) provided a solid foundation to guide their side to victory in Sultanpur.
Published : Nov 08, 2021 20:03 IST
Hyderabad overcame a middle-order slump to beat Delhi by three wickets in a nail-biting clash in Sultanpur.
Joining hands when Hyderabad was struggling at 138 for 7, Tanay Thyagarajan (17 n.o., 10b, 2x6) and Chama Milind (14 n.o., 8b, 1x4, 1x6) added 33 runs in 17 deliveries to take their team home in the final ball of the contest Hyderabad seemed to be heading towards a defeat when it lost six wickets for 53 runs, after Tanmay Agarwal (54, 34b, 6x4, 2x6) and Tilak Varma (37, 32b, 2x4, 2x6) provided a solid foundation to its chase.
Fast bowler Pradeep Sangwan and off-spinner Shivank Vashisth were the chief agent of Hyderabad’s rot between overs 11 and 18, taking two wickets each. Sangwan had one more in his kitty – the important one of Hanuma Vihari.
Anuj Rawat registered his third 40-plus score in three innings, top-scoring for Delhi even as the rest of the top order dealt in short cameos. Milind took two wickets but gave away 49 runs in his four overs; he later made amends with his batting.
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The result meant Hyderabad stood at the top of the points table with four wins out of four. Delhi and Saurashtra, which beat Chandigarh, now have three wins each under their belt.
Arpit Vasavada (72, 47b, 8x4, 3x6), Sheldon Jackson (70, 40b, 4x4, 5x6) and Chetan Sakariya (3 for 25) were the chief architects of Saurashtra’s 42-run win in Rohtak. The 104-run partnership between Vasavada and Jackson helped take Saurashtra to 209 for 4 in 20 overs. Medium pacer Jaskarandeep Singh and left-arm spinner Bhagmender Lather were the most expensive Chandigarh bowlers, giving away 87 runs in their seven overs combined.
Manan Vohra, the century maker on Saturday, fell in the first over of the chase, for nine runs. Arjit Singh (44, 32b, 3x4, 3x6) and Gaurav Puri (35, 16b, 4x4, 2x6), among others, provided some resistance with the bat, but it wasn’t enough.
Like Chandigarh, Uttarakhand fell to its fourth defeat in four matches, losing to Uttar Pradesh by seven wickets. Karan Sharma scored a half-century as UP chased down its target of 125 for the loss of three wickets and with 15 balls to spare.
Brief scores:
1. At Rohtak: Saurashtra 209/4 in 20 overs (Arpit Vasavada 72, Sheldon Jackson 70) beat Chandigarh 167/6 in 20 overs (Arjit Singh 44, Chetan Sakariya 3 for 25) by 42 runs
2. In Sultanpur: Delhi 170/5 in 20 overs (Anuj Rawat 41) lost to Hyderabad 171/7 in 20 overs (Tanmay Agarwal 54, Pradeep Sangwan 3 for 27) by three wickets
3. In Sultanpur: Uttarakhand 124/7 in 20 overs lost to Uttar Pradesh 125/3 in 17.3 overs (Karan Sharma 52, Rinku Singh 44 n.o.) by seven wickets