Vinoo Mankad Trophy: Chandigarh boys start campaign on winning note

Chandigarh, October 12

An all-round performance led by Devang Kaushik helped Chandigarh lads defeat Himachal Pradesh by six wickets in the opening match of the Vinoo Mankad Trophy held at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Kaushik took four wickets and scored 65 runs. Batting first, Himachal Pradesh posted 158 runs before getting all out in 31 overs. Opener Inesh Mahajan (71) and Arnav Bhardwaj (62) took the team over 100-mark. However, Nishunk Birla drew the first blood as he accounted Bhardwaj, followed by taking more wickets of Arjun Wadhwa (0) and Abhishek Sharma (1).

Chandigarh skipper Paras brought Kaushik into the attack and the latter wrapped up the middle order to restrict Himachal at 158. Birla claimed 5/11 to remain the leading wicket taker for the bowling side, while Kaushik returned with 4/7 and Paras took one.

In reply, Chandigarh got off to a poor start as they lost Jashan Beniwal (8). Aryan Verma (21) followed the trend and the side was down to 68/2. Thereafter, Kaushik and Paras (18) put on a partnership of 49-runs to help the side come close to the target.

Kaushik scored 65 off 81 balls, studded by two sixes and six boundaries, before losing his wicket. Nikhil (19) and Ishan Gaba (17), thereafter, took the charge and achieved the target in the 34th over. Chandigarh will play its next match against Jharkhand on October 14.

Chandigarh girls faced another defeat in the women’s U-19 one day match in Kolkata. This time, the local side went down against Andhra Pradesh by six wickets to face their third consecutive defeat.