Published: Feb 22, 2019, 04:03 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 22, 2019, 04:03 PM (IST)
Openers Nakul Verma and Ravi Chauhan hit half-centuries to guide Services to a facile eight-wicket win over Tripura in their second-round clash of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019 on Friday.
Nakul top-scored with 73 off 45 while Chauhan remained unbeaten on 62 as Services hunted down 158 in just 16.5 overs.
Nakul clattered eight fours and a six while Chauhan struck five fours and a six as the duo added 132 runs in 15 overs.
Nakul was stumped off Tushar Saha (1/37) while Gahlaut Rahul Singh holed out to Manisankar Murasingh after hitting two sixes in his 6-ball 14.
Services captain Rajat Paliwal called it correctly at the coin toss and the bowlers vindicated his decision to field first having reduced Tripura to 62/5 in 11.3 overs.
Opener Udiyan Bose’s rollicking start was cut short when he fell to Diwesh Pathania in the third over after hitting two fours and as many sixes in his 14-ball 22. Pathania finished the over by getting rid of Saurabh Das for a first-ball duck to dent Tripura at 25/2 in three overs.
Tripura’s slide continued with the departure of Pratyush Singh (7) after the end of Powerplay overs. Trouble gave way to panic when Joydeep Banik (12) and Nirupam Chowdhary (9) were both run out with half the side back in the dressing room.
However, captain Murasingh and Ninad Kadam resurrected the innings adding 75 runs for the sixth wicket. Murasingh scored 52 off 40 with the help of three fours and three sixes.
Kadam remained unbeaten on 32 off 21 to push the final score to 157/6 but as it turned out, Services chased it down without dropping a sweat.
Brief Scores: Services 158/2 (Nakul Verma 73, Ravi Chauhan 62*) beat Tripura 157/6 (Manisankar Murasingh 52, Ninad Kadam 32*; Diwesh Pathania 2/29) by eight wickets
