Victory Cricket Club’s Mahek Pokar smashed the first century of the fifth edition of Late Arjun Madhvi Women’s Trophy as she plundered 112 runs off 101 balls against Sports Field Cricket Club on Friday in Thane to help her team register a humongous win of 202 runs.
Pokar’s power-packed innings that was laced with 20 fours steered Victory Cricket Club to a formidable score of 293/4 in 40 overs. Alongside this right-handed opening batter, her partner, Alina Mulla (61) stitched 184-run partnership to set the tone of the match. While the opening pair of Victory Cricket Club went hammer and tongs, the bowlers of Sports Field Cricket Club had no answers to stop the run flow. The only silver lining in the dark bowling cloud of Sports Field Cricket Club was Aakruti Bhoir, who, albeit bleeding 59 runs in her eight over spell, scalped two wickets.
Chasing a mammoth 294 for a win, Sports Field Cricket Club’s batting collapsed like a pack of cards. They were bowled out for a paltry 91 in 30.1 overs. Apart from Priyanka Rathod (31) and Palak Dharamshi (29) none of the batters looked in shape. For Victory Cricket Club, Aleena Khan stood out with the ball as she snapped three wickets conceding just 27 runs in her eight overs, including one maiden.
Having suffered a crushing defeat, Sports Field Cricket Club have made their way out of the tournament. Victory Cricket Club, on the other hand, have advanced to the next stage.
Brief Scores: Victory Cricket Club 293/4 in 40 overs (M Pokar 112; A Bhoir 2/59) beat Sports Field Cricket Club 91 all out in 30.1 overs (P Rathod 31; A Khan 3/27) by 202 runs
This Article is written by Juili Balal
Regal Cricket Club defeated Sporting Union Club by six wickets on Tuesday in the second match of the fifth edition of the Late Arjun Madhvi Women’s Trophy.
Chasing a modest total of 154 for a win, Regal Cricket Club overhauled the target in just 26.4 overs at the loss of four wickets. Chetana Bisht (36) led the run chase from the front and found able allies in Jetsun Chi (35 not out), Akanksha Mishra (32) Harshal Jadhav (27). While Manasi Chavan (2/30) stood out with the ball for her team picking up two wickets, that wasn’t enough to stop the free-flowing batters of Regal Cricket Club.
Early in the day, winning the toss and electing to bat first, Sporting Union Club scored 153/9 in 39 overs. Chavan top scored with 24. Deepali Shelar (14 not out) was only the other major contributor with the bat. Sporting Union Club found it difficult to score against the bowlers of Regal Cricket Club as they bowled probing lines and lengths to pick wickets at regular intervals. Bisht, Vaishnavi Iyengar, Komal Jadhav, Gauri Kadam, and Priyadarshani Singh scalped one wicket apiece.
With this loss, it is curtains for Sporting Union Club in this tournament. On the other hand, Regal Cricket Club have qualified for the next level.
Brief Scores: Sporting Union Club 153/9 in 39 overs (M Chavan 24; C Bisht 1/9) lost to Regal Cricket Club 154/4 in 26.4 overs (C Bisht 36; M Chavan 2/30) by 6 wickets
This article is written by Juili Ballal.
Cricketgraph’s interview with “Mr.Fitness” aka Amogh Pandit was quite informative.
Amogh is hailed as one of the top Strength & Conditioning Coaches in India. He is serving as Strength and Conditioning Coach with Mumbai Ranji Team for the last 17 years.
Amogh has also served as Strength and conditioning coach for Rajasthan Royals (Indian premier league). He has also been a conditioning specialist with India A team. Amogh is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with top level certifications like CSCS the NSCA, USA.
When you talk about cricket in Mumbai, there are two types of batsman. The first breed is the group of current senior players of Mumbai who have growned up watching as well as playing Red Ball Cricket. The ones who are known for their traditional cricketing shots, classy batting and old school technique. The 2nd breed is thriving of energetic youngsters who will soon be the future of Mumbai as well as Indian Cricket.
The 2nd breed of youngsters are completely different personalities with them putting more emphasis on white ball cricket and its not their fault either as T20’s are played more than Tests and ODI’s in today’s era. They prefer to play faster, they have the whackiest of shots and for them playing fast is not just a necessity but it’s their natural game.
And when we talk about Jay Bista, he is the fortunate hybrid Cricketer with the best of both the worlds. Born on 23rd December 1995 , at the age of 23, Jay is right there at the middle of two generations where he gets to see two different worlds of cricket. With experienced team mates like Suryakumar Yadav, Siddhesh Lad, Aditya Tare, Shreyas Iyer & Dhawal Kulkarni, Jay gets to witness proper classical red ball cricket whenever he gets a chance to represent the Mumbai team in the longer format of the game. Jay gets to see the sanctity of test cricket, the nitty-gritties of patience, solid technique, classical shots from the 1st breed of his senior mates while he has his own game of wizardy with the bat & athletic fielding abilities making him a perfect recipe for a modern day t20 player.
With the advent of T20 Cricket rising, new shots being innovated every day and playing fast & furious being the latest trend, Jay is well versed with that world of cricket too with aggressive brand of batting being his natural game.
In a candid interview with Cricketgraph, we throwed upon a lot of questions at him which he gracefully answered:
When we asked him how it all started, Jay said “From the age of 2, i was in to this game as my mom had told me from that age itself I was crazy for the game. I started practicing from the age of 8 but when I was 12, that’s when I started thinking about it professionally”
Born & brought up in Mumbai, the 23yr old studied at Bhadra New High School and later went to the famed Shardashram Vidyamandir School which has given Mumbai some of the finest first class & national level cricketers. Jay finished his further studies from Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College while he is getting trained under coaching of Vinod Raghavan Sir.
Jay has represented Mumbai team at U14, U16, U19, U23 as well as the senior team while he plays club cricket representing Victory CC in Mumbai. When we asked him to share some of his most memorable performances, Jay shared with us- “Getting 136 something last year in my comeback game against Saurashtra, a double hundred in the finals of U23 One Day Tournament, a 4th innings ton of 126 runs while chasing vs Baroda and my recent hundred in T20 mumbai (where he scored 110 off mere 60 balls for Sobo Supersonics) are some of my memorable performances so far.
Known for his eccentric and innovative shots including his famous version of “Bista Scoop”, Jay feels thankful to his parents and Coach Vinod Raghavan Sir for whatever he has achieved so far. When we asked him his long term goals, Jay smartly answered” –“I believe in living in the present, I don’t have a long term plan, I just want to win games for whichever teams I play for and keep performing consistently”
Team Cricketgraph wishes him all the luck for a great career ahead as he keeps entertaining one and all with his risqué shots and stylish batting.
The 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament), organized under the aegis of the Mumbai Cricket Association, owes its success to the generous support of sponsors such as Redfox Media Corp., Avisa Sports, and SRG Sports Official. The contributions of Hansaben Mehta, Sandip Vichare, Depen Parekh, and Ashish Redij have further highlighted their dedication to advancing women’s cricket. Additionally, the Woman of the Match award, generously donated by Nadim Memon, has served as a powerful motivator, recognizing and celebrating outstanding individual performances throughout the tournament.
Sincere gratitude is extended to Ms. Arundhati Ghosh, Secretary of the Sporting Union Club, whose leadership and vision made this event possible. Backed by a hardworking organizing committee, including Hemangi Naik, Laxmikant Amrutkar, Hemant Pednekar, Vidula Wagle, Ranjit Dalvi, and Suhas Joshi, the tournament has once again delivered an unforgettable display of cricketing excellence.
Matunga Gymkhana, January 17, 2025 – Sainath Cricket Club emerged victorious in the final match of the prestigious 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament) held under the aegis of the Mumbai Cricket Association. They defeated Sporting Union Club by a comprehensive margin of 35 runs to claim the coveted trophy.
In the final, held at Matunga Gymkhana, Sainath Cricket Club won the toss and elected to bat first. Their innings was spearheaded by stellar performances from Sejal Vishwakarma and Shravan Patil. Vishwakarma remained unbeaten, scoring an impressive 64 runs off 47 balls, while Patil contributed 42 runs off 53 deliveries. Together, they propelled the team to a competitive total of 151/3 in 20 overs, with 13 extras aiding their cause.
The bowling attack of Sporting Union Club was led by Mahima Yadav and Vaishnavi Palav, both picking up crucial wickets to keep the Sainath innings in check.
In reply, Sporting Union Club managed to score 116/6 in their allotted 20 overs, falling short by 35 runs. Despite a strong start by their openers, with Dhruvi Patel scoring 31 runs off 33 balls and Pranjal Malekar contributing 48 runs off 46 balls, the middle order failed to capitalize. The Sainath bowlers, led by Vedika Patil with a 3-wicket haul for just 14 runs in 4 overs, ensured the target was never within reach for Sporting Union Club.
Women of the Match: Shravani Patil (Sainath C. C) 47* & 4-0-14-01
Key Highlights:
Sainath Cricket Club Innings:
Total: 151/3 in 20 overs
Top Performers:
Sejal Vishwakarma: 64* (47)
Shravan Patil: 42 (53)
Sporting Union Club Innings:
Total: 116/6 in 20 overs
Top Performers:
Pranjal Malekar: 48 (46)
Dhruvi Patel: 31 (33)
Result: Sainath Cricket Club won by 35 runs.
The 14th match of the 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament) was a gripping semifinal clash between Bhama Cricket Club and Sporting Cricket Club at Matunga Gymkhana. Held under the guidance of the Mumbai Cricket Association, the tournament owes its success to the support of sponsors like Redfox Media Corp., Avisa Sports, and SRG Sports Official. Additional contributions from Hansaben Mehta, Sandip Vichare, Depen Parekh, and Ashish Redij have been instrumental in promoting women’s cricket. The Woman of the Match award, donated by Nadim Memon, continues to inspire players to deliver their best.
Organized under the leadership of Ms. Arundhati Ghosh, Secretary of the Sporting Union Club, and supported by a dedicated team comprising Hemangi Naik, Laxmikant Amrutkar, Hemant Pednekar, Vidula Wagle, Ranjit Dalvi, and Suhas Joshi, the tournament has become a shining example of competitive cricket and sportsmanship.
In this thrilling semifinal, Bhama Cricket Club won the toss and chose to bat first. Despite a steady start, they were bowled out for 114 in 20 overs. Hrudayesha Patil scored 29 runs off 26 balls, while Shrushti Kudalka added 22 off 23 balls. Sporting Cricket Club’s bowlers were outstanding, with Kavya Bhagwat taking 3 wickets for 22 runs in her 4 overs and Gagana Mulakala picking up 2 wickets for 21 runs in 3.3 overs.
Chasing 115 for a place in the final, Sporting Cricket Club displayed a strong batting performance. Pranjal Malekar anchored the chase with a stellar 60 off 58 balls, while Dhruvi Patel supported with 28 off 38 balls. Sporting achieved the target in 18.2 overs, sealing a memorable victory. Bhama Cricket Club’s Anju Singh impressed with her bowling, taking 2 wickets for just 14 runs in 3.2 overs, but it wasn’t enough to stop Sporting’s march to the final.
Brief Scores:
Bhama Cricket Club: 114 all out in 20 overs (Hrudayesha Patil 29, Shrushti Kudalka 22; Kavya Bhagwat 3/22, Gagana Mulakala 2/21)
Sporting Cricket Club: 115/5 in 18.2 overs (Pranjal Malekar 60, Dhruvi Patel 28; Anju Singh 2/14)
The semifinal victory showcases Sporting Cricket Club’s all-round excellence and sets the stage for an exciting final in the 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy.
Shreyas Magar is a passionate and experienced cricket coach based in Sambhaji Nagar. He is certified as an ICC Level 1 coach and holds an MSDCA Level 1 certification. Along with his coaching skills, he is also a trained video analyst, helping players improve their game by studying their performance in detail.
As a former district-level player, Shreyas has gained valuable experience on the field. He has been a net bowler for India vs. England matches and was part of the U19 state camp, which shows his dedication and involvement in cricket at a high level.
Shreyas runs the Gurukul Academy in Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra. This academy provides professional cricket coaching for boys and girls of all ages. Located at Gurukul Olympiad School, the academy is well-equipped with modern facilities like floodlights for night practice and a bowling machine.
The academy operates from Monday to Saturday, between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM. With 30-60 students currently training under his guidance, Shreyas ensures quality coaching with a 1:15 coach-to-student ratio. The academy also supports five financially needy players, giving everyone a fair chance to grow in the sport.
While the academy does not provide cricket kits, it does offer great opportunities for players to participate in association matches and friendly games. The coaching is conducted in English, Hindi, and Marathi, making it accessible to students from different backgrounds.
Shreyas Magar’s dedication to cricket and his students makes him a highly respected coach in Sambhaji Nagar. Through his efforts, Gurukul Cricketgraph Academy has become a trusted place for young players to learn, grow, and dream big in the world of cricket.
16th January 2025, Matunga Gymkhana:
The 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament), held under the guidance of the Mumbai Cricket Association, owes its success to the invaluable support of sponsors such as Redfox Media Corp., Avisa Sports, and SRG Sports Official. Key contributors like Hansaben Mehta, Sandip Vichare, Depen Parekh, and Ashish Redij have significantly advanced the cause of women’s cricket. The Woman of the Match award, graciously donated by Nadim Memon, continues to motivate players to deliver exceptional performances.
Under the leadership of Ms. Arundhati Ghosh, Secretary of the Sporting Union Club, and a dedicated organizing team comprising Hemangi Naik, Laxmikant Amrutkar, Hemant Pednekar, Vidula Wagle, Ranjit Dalvi, and Suhas Joshi, the tournament has become a celebration of high-quality cricket and team spirit.
In the semi-final encounter, Sainath Cricket Club showcased a balanced all-round performance to overcome Dashing Cricket Club by 23 runs, securing a spot in the final.
Batting first, Sainath Cricket Club posted a competitive total of 122/9 in their 20 overs. Shreeni Soni (20 off 14 balls) and Simran D’Mello (19 off 23 balls) anchored the innings. For Dashing Cricket Club, Neelakshi Talati and Shreya Suresh delivered disciplined spells, each bagging two wickets, while Vedika Mantri and Ishwari Rane chipped in with one wicket apiece.
In response, Dashing Cricket Club faced a disciplined bowling attack from Sainath Cricket Club and could only manage 99/8 in their 20 overs. Khushi Jatjd (33 off 41 balls) was the standout performer with the bat for Dashing Cricket Club. The star of the match was undoubtedly Shreeni Soni, whose brilliant leg-spin spell (4-0-21-3) dismantled the opposition’s middle order, earning her the well-deserved Woman of the Match title.
Brief Scores:
Sainath Cricket Club: 122/9 in 20 overs (Shreeni Soni 20, Simran D’Mello 19; Neelakshi Talati 2/4, Shreya Suresh 2/15)
Dashing Cricket Club: 99/8 in 20 overs (Khushi Jatjd 33; Shreeni Soni 4-0-21-3, Shravan Patil 2-13)
Result: Sainath Cricket Club won by 23 runs.
Woman of the Match: Shreeni Soni (20 runs and 3 wickets).
5th January 2025, New Hind Matunga:
The 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament), organized under the guidance of the Mumbai Cricket Association, owes its success to the unwavering support of sponsors like Redfox Media Corp., Avisa Sports, and SRG Sports Official. Additional contributors, including Hansaben Mehta, Sandip Vichare, Depen Parekh, and Ashish Redij, have played a pivotal role in advancing women’s cricket. The Woman of the Match award, donated by Nadim Memon, continues to inspire players to deliver standout performances in the tournament.
Spearheaded by Ms. Arundhati Ghosh, Secretary of the Sporting Union Club, and an efficient organizing team comprising Hemangi Naik, Laxmikant Amrutkar, Hemant Pednekar, Vidula Wagle, Ranjit Dalvi, and Suhas Joshi, the tournament has been a hub of high-quality cricket and camaraderie.
In the 12th match of the tournament, Sainath Cricket Club delivered a clinical performance to defeat Maharashtra Young Cricketers by 32 runs.
After opting to bat first, Sainath Cricket Club set a commanding total of 155/3 in their 20 overs, thanks to stellar contributions from Simran D’Mello (49 off 48 balls) and Nidhi Chhabrat (46 off 27 balls). The duo’s partnership provided the backbone of the innings. For Maharashtra Young Cricketers, Ananya Iyer (1/31) and Pravati Thombare (1/17) bowled economically, managing to restrict further damage.
Chasing 156, Maharashtra Young Cricketers began confidently with Sanaya Joshi (42 off 27 balls) and Jain Shah (42 off 36 balls) leading the charge. However, Sainath Cricket Club’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Shreeni Soni (2/21) and Nidhi Chhabrat (2/17), proved too much to handle. Maharashtra Young Cricketers could only muster 123/5 in their allotted 20 overs, handing a well-earned victory to Sainath Cricket Club.
Brief Scores:
Sainath Cricket Club: 155/3 in 20 overs (Simran D’Mello 49, Nidhi Chhabrat 46; Ananya Iyer 1/31, Pravati Thombare 1/17)
Maharashtra Young Cricketers: 123/5 in 20 overs (Sanaya Joshi 42, Jain Shah 42; Shreeni Soni 2/21, Nidhi Chhabrat 2/17)
Result: Sainath Cricket Club won by 32 runs.
Woman of the Match: Simran D’Mello (49 runs of 48 Balls).
The 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament), hosted under the Mumbai Cricket Association’s banner, continues to deliver exhilarating matches. The 11th match of the tournament, held at Matunga Gymkhana, showcased the growing talent in women’s cricket. With unwavering support from sponsors like Redfox Media Corp., Avisha Sports, SRG Sports Official, and contributors such as Hansaben Mehta, Sandip Vichare, Depen Parekh, and Ashish Redij, the event remains a celebration of women’s cricket excellence.
Under the leadership of Ms. Arundhati Ghosh, Secretary of the Sporting Union Club, and an efficient organizing team comprising Hemangi Naik, Laxmikant Amrutkar, Hemant Pednekar, Vidula Wagle, Ranjit Dalvi, and Suhas Joshi, the tournament highlights not only team efforts but also individual brilliance. The Woman of the Match award, sponsored by Nadim Memon, emphasizes recognizing such exceptional performances.
The 11th match of the 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy saw Bhama Cricket Club (CC) face Dashing CC at Matunga Gymkhana. Bhama CC, led by Mansi Bodke, opted to bat first after winning the toss. Their innings was anchored by Riya Salunkhe’s remarkable knock of 41 runs off 24 balls, which included four boundaries and sixes. Contributions from Hrudayesha Patil (26 off 59 balls) and Anju Singh (15 off 12 balls) helped Bhama CC post a competitive total of 148 for 7 in their 20 overs.
Dashing CC bowlers put up a strong fight, with Neelakshi Talati shining with figures of 4-25 in her 4 overs. Shreya Suresh and Vedika Mantri also chipped in with a wicket each, ensuring that Bhama CC couldn’t run away with the game.
Chasing 149, Dashing CC had a promising start with Deeya Sanghvi scoring 39 runs off 25 balls. However, regular wickets by Bhama CC’s bowlers kept Dashing CC under pressure. Mansi Bodke led the attack with a brilliant spell, taking 3 wickets for 18 runs. Chandani Kanojia and Riya Salunkhe also contributed significantly with 2 wickets each. Eventually, Dashing CC was bowled out for 123 runs, falling short by 25 runs
Brief Scores:
Bhama CC: 148/7 in 20 overs (Riya Salunkhe 41, Hrudayesha Patil 26; Neelakshi Talati 4-25)
Dashing CC: 123 all out in 20 overs (Deeya Sanghvi 39; Mansi Bodke 3-18, Riya Salunkhe 2-18)
Result: Bhama CC won by 25 runs.
Woman of the Match: Riya Salunkhe (41 runs and 2 wickets).
The 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament), organized under the guidance of the Mumbai Cricket Association, continues to deliver thrilling matches. The tournament owes its success to the unwavering support of sponsors like Redfox Media Corp., Avisa Sports, and SRG Sports Official, along with contributions from Hansaben Mehta, Sandip Vichare, Depen Parekh, and Ashish Redij. The Woman of the Match award, donated by Nadim Memon, highlights the celebration of individual excellence throughout the event.
Ms. Arundhati Ghosh, Secretary of the Sporting Union Club, along with the dedicated organizing team comprising Hemangi Naik, Laxmikant Amrutkar, Hemant Pednekar, Vidula Wagle, Ranjit Dalvi, and Suhas Joshi, continues to ensure the smooth execution of this prestigious tournament.
Match Summary: Sporting Union Club vs. Borivali Cricket Club
In a 15-over-a-side contest at New Hind Matunga, Sporting Union Club secured a dominant 7-wicket victory over Borivali Cricket Club.
First Innings: Borivali Cricket Club Struggles to Build Momentum
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Borivali Cricket Club posted a total of 92 runs. Swara Hire stood out with a quick 29 runs off 19 balls, but the team struggled against a disciplined bowling attack.
For Sporting Union Club, Ananya Pathari was the star with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for just 11 runs in her 3 overs, while Gagana Mulakala picked up 2 wickets, conceding 20 runs in her spell.
Second Innings: Pranjal Malekar’s Match-Winning Knock
Chasing 93, Sporting Union Club was guided to victory by a stellar performance from Pranjal Malekar, who scored an unbeaten 55 runs off 37 balls. Despite losing three wickets, the team comfortably achieved the target in 12.2 overs.
Borivali Cricket Club’s bowlers Kaveri Ghuge, Asmita Avalegaonkar, and Shreya Hire picked up one wicket each, but their efforts couldn’t stop Sporting from cruising to victory.
Brief Scores:
Borivali Cricket Club: 92 in 15 overs (Swara Hire 29; Ananya Pathari 3/11, Gagana Mulakala 2/20)
Sporting Union Club: 93/3 in 12.2 overs (Pranjal Malekar 55*; Kaveri Ghuge 1/16, Asmita Avalegaonkar 1/20, Shreya Hire 1/18)
Result: Sporting Union Club won by 7 wickets.
The 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament), organized under the aegis of the Mumbai Cricket Association, continues to showcase the spirit of women’s cricket through thrilling matches. The tournament owes its success to the generous support of sponsors like Redfox Media Corp., Avisa Sports, and SRG Sports Official, alongside contributions from Hansaben Mehta, Sandip Vichare, Depen Parekh, and Ashish Redij. The Woman of the Match award, sponsored by Nadim Memon, emphasizes the celebration of outstanding individual performances.
Under the stewardship of Ms. Arundhati Ghosh, Secretary of the Sporting Union Club, and the dedicated efforts of the organizing team, including Hemangi Naik, Laxmikant Amrutkar, Hemant Pednekar, Vidula Wagle, Ranjit Dalvi, and Suhas Joshi, the tournament continues to deliver seamless execution and unforgettable cricketing moments.
9th Match Summary: Sponsor Team vs. J Bhatia S.C.
Held at Matunga Gymkhana, Match 9 witnessed a solid performance by the Sponsor Team, who claimed a 36-run victory over J Bhatia S.C.
First Innings: Sponsor Team’s Balanced Batting Effort
After being put to bat, the Sponsor Team managed to post a competitive total of 109 runs. Ananya Bagwe led the charge with an impressive 38 runs off 32 balls, supported by Ankita Pawar’s 19 runs off 25 balls.
In the bowling department, J Bhatia S.C. displayed a collective effort. Chitra Ghadigaonkar stood out with figures of 2 wickets for 29 runs in 4 overs, while Riddhi Bhoir delivered an economical spell, taking 1 wicket for just 14 runs in her 4 overs.
Second Innings: Sponsor Team’s Bowling Brilliance
Chasing 110, J Bhatia S.C. struggled against the disciplined bowling of the Sponsor Team and were bowled out for 73. Kavya Dhadve was the top scorer with 24 runs off 23 balls.
The Sponsor Team’s bowling unit dominated the innings. Kanika Vikaykarthikra and Garima Varma both claimed 3 wickets, conceding just 10 and 5 runs respectively, while Ananya Patil chipped in with 2 wickets for 11 runs in 3 overs, sealing a comprehensive win for their side.
Brief Scores:
Sponsor Team: 109 in 20 overs (Ananya Bagwe 38, Ankita Pawar 19; Chitra Ghadigaonkar 2/29, Riddhi Bhoir 1/14)
J Bhatia S.C.: 73 in 18.4 overs (Kavya Dhadve 24; Kanika Vikaykarthikra 3/10, Garima Varma 3/5, Ananya Patil 2/11)
Result: Sponsor Team won by 36 runs.
Mumbai: The grand finale of the MCA Corporate Trophy (F-Division) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium saw Western Railway Traffic Sports Club crowned champions after a thrilling 10-run victory over Citi Bank. The match was marked by a sensational bowling performance from Rahul Thakur, who played a pivotal role in securing the title.
Citi Bank won the toss and chose to field first in the high-stakes final. Western Railway set a competitive total of 175/5, thanks to an outstanding knock of 84 runs by Karan, supported by Tushar’s steady contribution of 45 runs. The duo’s partnership provided the foundation for a strong target.
In the second innings, Citi Bank began their chase confidently but were soon undone by a stellar spell from Rahul Thakur. The right-arm bowler delivered a match-winning performance, taking 3 crucial wickets while conceding just 17 runs in his 4 overs. His precise line and variations left the opposition batsmen struggling. Akshay Girap added to the pressure with an equally impressive effort, claiming 3 wickets in his 3 overs.
Despite a fighting effort from Citi Bank’s batting lineup, they fell short of the target, handing Western Railway a well-deserved victory in the final.
Rahul Thakur, who was undoubtedly the hero of the match, said, “Playing the final at Wankhede and contributing to the team’s success is a dream come true. The pitch had something for the bowlers, and I’m glad I could capitalize on it.”
This win capped off a remarkable campaign for Western Railway Traffic Sports Club, underlining their dominance and composure in the biggest match of the tournament.
The 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy (T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament), conducted under the guidance of the Mumbai Cricket Association, continues to celebrate women’s cricket with exciting matches. Sponsors such as Redfox Media Corp., Avisa Sports, and SRG Sports Official, along with contributors like Hansaben Mehta, Sandip Vichare, Depen Parekh, and Ashish Redij, have played a vital role in making this tournament a success. The Woman of the Match award, donated by Nadim Memon, underscores the commitment to recognizing exceptional individual efforts throughout the event.
The tournament is steered by Ms. Arundhati Ghosh, Secretary of the Sporting Union Club, along with an industrious organizing team comprising Hemangi Naik, Laxmikant Amrutkar, Hemant Pednekar, Vidula Wagle, Ranjit Dalvi, and Suhas Joshi, ensuring seamless execution and thrilling cricketing moments.
Match Summary: Bhama Cricket Club vs. Sponsors Team
The match, played at New Hind, Matunga, on January 14, 2025, witnessed Bhama Cricket Club overpowering the Sponsors Team with a resounding 137-run victory.
First Innings: Bhama Cricket Club Posts a Mammoth Total
After winning the toss, Bhama Cricket Club opted to bat first and delivered a commanding performance. Anju Singh was the star of the innings, smashing an unbeaten 134 off just 50 balls, featuring a flurry of boundaries. She was well-supported by Hrudayesha Patil, who contributed a valuable 46 runs off 33 balls. Together, they propelled Bhama Cricket Club to a formidable total of 214 runs.
For the Sponsors Team, Reeya Bhavsar was the standout bowler, claiming 1 wicket in her 2-over spell.
Second Innings: Sponsors Team Struggles in the Chase
Chasing a daunting target of 215, the Sponsors Team could not build any significant partnerships and were restricted to a total of 77 runs. Reeya Bhavsar top-scored with 33 runs off 49 balls, while Ananya Bagwe added a quick 22 runs off 18 balls.
Bhama Cricket Club’s bowlers maintained tight control, with Chandani Kanojiya delivering an economical spell, taking 1 wicket in her 3 overs.
Highlights of the Match:
Woman of the Match: Anju Singh for her remarkable knock of 134* off 50 balls.
Batting Star: Hrudayesha Patil for her supportive 46 runs off 33 balls.
Bowling Excellence: Chandani Kanojiya for her disciplined spell (3-0-10-1).
Bhama Cricket Club’s comprehensive victory reflected their dominance in both batting and bowling, adding yet another exciting chapter to the 5th Ajit Ghosh Memorial Trophy. The match further highlighted the importance of such tournaments in nurturing and showcasing talent in women’s cricket.