Vijay Hazare Trophy: Punjab stun start-studded Mumbai; city lose to Vidarbha

An unbeaten 150-run contribution by Prabhsimran Singh and a fifer by international bowler Arshdeep Singh helped Punjab stun a star-studded Mumbai by eight wickets in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match at ADSA Railways Ground, Ahmedabad. Punjab chased down the 249-run target in 30th over.

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Batting first, Mumbai batters were nowhere to stand in front of Punjab’s bowling attack. Half of the side was back to the pavilion at the score of 28.

The side studded with the Indian stars like Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur and Surya failed to perform.

Arshdeep accounted the top order by claiming Angkrish Raghuvanshi (1), Ayush Mhatre (1), Surya (0) and Dube (17). Sanvir picked hardik Tamore (0).

Iyer tried stopping the fall of wickets, but failed to track a fine delivery by Arshdeep. He was bowled out at 17, as Mumbai kept on struggling to find answers to Arshdeep’s attack.

The side got a major relief as Suryansh Shedge and Atharva Vinod Ankolekar held their nerves and came up with a 51-run partnership for 7th wicket.

Raghu Sharma accounted Shedge (44 off 43 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) to push back Mumbai on the back foot.

However, Ankolekar then got the experienced hands of Thakur, as the duo revived the innings by raising a 93-run partnership for the 8th wicket. While Thakur was out for 43 off 45 balls (including four boundaries and a six),

Ankolekar scored 66 off 84 balls, studded with two boundaries and three sixes, before he was caught by Arshdeep off Abhishek in the 40th over.

Himanshu Singh (19) was the last man out after being trapped by Prerit Dutta, while Royston H Dias (18) remained unbeaten. Arshdeep picked 5/38, while Abhishek (2/47), Sanvir (1/33) and Raghu (1/47) shared wickets to restrict Mumbai at 248.

In reply, Punjab recorded a stunning start with Prabhsimran Singh smashing 150 off 101 balls, with 14 boundaries and 10 sixes.

Skipper Abhishek also contributed a quickfire 66 off 54 balls, with four boundaries and five sixes, while Ramandeep Singh (22) made unbeaten contribution in the win.

Thakur and Mhatre claimed one wicket each for the bowling side.

Chandigarh suffer defeat

Vidarbha skipper Karun Nair posted an unbeaten 163 to hand over a five-wicket defeat to Chandigarh, in Vizag. Nair completed his 163 off 107 balls, with 20 boundaries and two sixes, as the side successfully chased Chandigarh’s 315-run target in 48 overs.

Opener Dhruv Shorey (57) and YV Rathod (27) were the two other main contributors for Vidarbha. Nishunk Birla claimed two, while Jagjit Singh Sandhu, Saini and Amrit Lal Lubana claimed one wicket each for Chandigarh.

Earlier, Chandigarh skipper Manan Vohra scored his second century of the tournament. Vohra scored 101 off 117 balls, with five boundaries and three sixes. AK Kaushik (59 of 39 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes), Lubana (58 off 35 balls, with one boundary and five sixes), Shivam Bhambri (44) and Tushar Joshi (25) also contributed for the side.