MPL 2023: Ratnagiri Jets beats Puneri Bappa in rain-curtailed match

A combination of rain and cameos by Ratnagiri Jets top-order meant Azim Kazi-led team assured itself of a win versus Puneri Bappa and a top-two finish at the end of the league stage.

Preetam Patil of Ratnagiri Jets in action. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

A combination of rain and cameos by Ratnagiri Jets top-order meant Azim Kazi-led team assured itself of a win versus Puneri Bappa and a top-two finish at the end of the league stage of the Shriram Capital Maharashtra Premier League (MPL).

With Puneri Bappa having qualified after Solapur Royals lost to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings on Friday night at the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was rested as the Bappa outfit preferred to test bench-strength.

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While Shripad Nimbalkar, who came in Gaikwad’s place, impressed with a 19-ball 30 at the top after the game was reduced to a 15-overs-a-side affair after a delayed start.

After restricting Bappa to 129 for six, with the skies turning dark, the Jets openers - especially Kazi, came out all guns blazing. Kazi’s 9-ball 21 and Preetam Patil’s 11-ball 20 were instrumental in helping the Jets surge ahead on DLS chart when the heavens opened up in the eighth over and prevented any further play.

Brief scores:

Puneri Bappa 129/6 in 15 overs (Shubham Jaiswal 36, Shripad Nimbalkar 30, Kunal Thorat 2/23) lost to Ratnagiri Jets 70/3 in 7.4 overs (Sachin Bhosale 2/17) by eight runs (DLS method).

Solapur Royals 140/6 (Rushabh Rathod 55) lost to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings 141/3 in 18.5 overs (Murtaza Trunkwala 67 n.o., Om Bhosale 34 n.o., Prathamesh Gawade 2/34) by 7 wickets.