After losing the title to Karnataka last year by a solitary run, Tamil Nadu bounced back this season in commanding fashion as it defeated Baroda by seven wickets to clinch its second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 at the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
It was a clinical campaign for Tamil Nadu - unbeaten throughout the league - which chased down Baroda’s modest score of 120 with two overs to spare.
The victory was set up by left-arm spinner M. Siddharth, playing his first match this year, who wrecked Baroda’s top-order with a four-wicket haul (4/20).
HIGHLIGHTS |
TN’s chase was facilitated by opener C. Hari Nishaanth’s 35 before B. Aparajith (29 n.o.) and Dinesh Karthik (22) ensured Baroda never made its way back into the game.
M. Shahrukh Khan then blitzed 18 off just seven balls with two fours and a six to finish the chase in style.
Earlier, electing to bowl first on a wicket that offered good help to the spinners, TN struck early. In the second over, B. Aparajith removed opener Ninad Rathva. He was caught inside the circle on the off-side going for a cut in the second over.
At the other end, Siddharth soon had Kedar Devdhar caught at cover, after being hit for two consecutive boundaries, by deceiving him in flight. Siddharth then accounted for Smit Patel, trapped leg-before with an arm ball.
ALSO READ |
In the ninth over, the left-arm spinner struck twice by removing Abhimanyu Rajput, caught & bowled before having Karthik Kakade playing on to reduce Baroda to 36 for six.
Solanki and Sheth then played cautiously to ensure Baroda did not get bowled out before the 20 overs as they added 58 runs for the seventh wicket.
The duo did well to rotate the strike against the spinners before going after pacers R. Sonu Yadav and Mohammed in the final four overs. But in the end, it was not enough to recover from the early blow delivered by Tamil Nadu.
Comments
SHARE