Syed Mushtaq Ali: UP, Rajasthan qualify from Central Zone

Rajasthan topped the zone by garnering 16 points from four wins and a loss, while UP (12 points) finished a close second ahead of Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha (12) on net run rate.

For UP, Ankit Rajpoot (in pic), Amit Mishra and Saurabh Kumar picked up two wickets apiece.

Uttar Pradesh (UP) defeated Chhattisgarh by six wickets in a must-win Central Zone league match to qualify for the Super League stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 cricket tournament, here on Tuesday.

It’s place being already assured in the knockout stage, Rajasthan, however, lost by four wickets to Railways in another Central Zone match.

Both Rajasthan and UP, however, qualified for the knock-outs by finishing first and second respectively in the Central Zone league.

Rajasthan topped the zone by garnering 16 points from four wins and a loss, while UP (12 points) finished a close second ahead of Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha (12) on net run rate.

Needing a comprehensive win to seal its place, UP produced a collective effort to edge past Chhattisgarh.

Opting to bat, Chhattisgarh could only muster 113 runs for the loss of eight wickets with skipper Amandeep Khare top-scoring with a run-a-ball 33.

For UP, Ankit Rajpoot (2/21), Amit Mishra (2/19) and Saurabh Kumar (2/16) picked up two wickets apiece.

Akshdeep Singh (43 not out) and Rinku Singh (33) played good hands to steer Uttar Pradesh home in 11.2 overs.

Right-arm medium pacer Shakeeb Ahmed (2/29) picked up two wickets for Chhattisgarh.

In another Central Zone league match, Railways restricted Rajasthan to 150 for six after opting to bowl, a target which the railwaymen overwhelmed with three balls to spare and four wickets in hand.