Record 460 sixes hit in Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup

Chandigarh, July 7

The second season of the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup witnessed a record breaking 460 sixes and 868 boundaries during the tournament. Last week, BLV Blasters had defeated Trident Stallions to win the title for the second consecutive year.

Blasters opener Harnoor Pannu, who recently re-shifted to Punjab after a short stint with Chandigarh, made most of the Sher-e-Punjab T20 Cup outing. The 21-year-old left-handed batter not only played a match-winning 83-run innings, but emerged as player of the tournament by amassing 578 runs in 12 matches and hitting 33 sixes.

Pannu was part of the Indian U-19 team which won the Asia Cup first and then the U-19 World Cup in the West Indies in 2022. Karteek Sharma (457 runs), Abhay Choudhary (445 runs), Pukhraj Mann (334 runs) and Mandeep Singh (349 runs) remained the leading run scorers for the side.

Right-arm fast bowler Gurnoor Brar showed his class and aggression by claiming 22 wickets in 11 matches for Trident Stallions. Interestingly, top five highest wicket-takers in the tournament include four medium-pacers and one spinner, Harpreet Brar, who also played a cameo of 19 off 6 balls in the final. Medium-pacer Aradhya Shukla, who was part of the India U-19 World Cup team in 2023, claimed 16 wickets for Blasters.

Pannu also won a tractor as player of the tournament award. Blasters team won Rs 25 lakh in prize money, while Stallions, the runners-up, got Rs 15 lakh.

“The credit for making the league a success goes to the entire management, team owners, players and ground staff. Through this cup, junior players got exposure and seniors got an opportunity to move forward,” said Dilsher Khanna, secretary, Punjab Cricket Association.