Batsmen have dominated in favourable conditions with one batter from each of the six teams in action scoring a century in the first round of Group B matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament.
Yashpal Singh of Tripura and A.R. Kumar of Himachal got a hundred each at the HPCA Stadium here, while Abhimanyu Easwaran and Rahul Tripathi reached three figure marks in the Bengal versus Maharashtra encounter at Amtar on Monday.
In Bilaspur, comeback man Unmukt Chand of Delhi and the promising Umang Sharma of Uttar Pradesh also slammed centuries to serve their teams to the best of their abilities.
Read: Parthiv hopeful for last three games
Seasoned middle order batsman Yashpal scored a brilliant 113 off 127 deliveries to rescue Tripura from early trouble. Himachal Pradesh replied strongly because of A.R Kumar's unbeaten 101 off 124 balls to record its first win.
Armed with sound technique and good temperament, Bengal opener Abhimanyu showcased his utility in the limited over format by getting a 114-ball 103 and helping Bengal post a big total.
Manarashtra banked on its captain Tripathi's commendable knock of 125 not out off 102 deliveries to overhaul the stiff target. So far, Tripathi was known for his value as a T20 player because of his blitzkrieg for Rising Pune Supergiant in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Unmukt attracted attention with his Anil Kumble moment. Displaying his grit and courage, the Delhi batsman grabbed the opportunity to score a 125-ball 116 and erased the memories of a bad season. It enabled his team to register more than 300 runs on the board.
Even as Uttar Pradesh struggled because of its batting woes, Umang, who is a decent T20s player and was part of the Gujarat Lions in the IPL, dazzled amidst adversity. His 102 off 104 balls proved that his team could have won the match with a little more application from other batsmen.
As the initial trend suggests, batsmen showing patience and right approach may succeed and put up big scores in forthcoming matches to assist in their teams' quest for berths in the quarterfinals.
Comments
SHARE