Cricketgraph Top 5 Knocks in Mumbai Cricket for the month of March 2018
A grueling season of March is considered the most intenseful, enjoyable and prolific season in Mumbai and Indian Cricket. Maximum tournaments right from the grassroot level to International level are played all over the nation.
Hundreds of matches are played with all the grounds jampacked and booked in this month and definitely when there are this many matches being played, there will be a lot of performances and hence being in the Top 5 Knock holders in Mumbai Cricket for the month of March is definitely a matter of pride to get featured in. It was as always difficult to shortlist out of hundreds of performances but these were surely the players who won the hearts!
Joint 5th– Aditya Shemadkar (LHB)-19ball 50 (fastest 50 of Mumbai Junior Shield ‘18)
Aditya Shemadkar is one such all-rounder who has had a great season. He has also smashed a hundred in the same tournament but this knock was all the more special as it was the fastest fifty in the Mumbai Junior Shield Tournament. The attacking all-rounder smashed 6sixes while only a boundary to push New Hind’s total to 268/7 in 45overs. Eventually New Hind won that match by 148runs Aditya’s 19ball 53 was a treat to the eyes too!
5th– Sujit Nayak (LHB)-99* in Mumbai T20 Premier League 2018
Played at Wankhede stadium, Sujit makes it to no.5 and why not when he registered the highest score of this year’s Mumbai T20 Premier league. Sobo supersonics batting first against Arcs Andheri were off to a flying start and Attacking all-rounder Sujit Nayak who is known for his firebrand batting this time pounced on the momentum left behind by the openers as he spelled carnage over the Arcs Andheri bowlers going on to smash a 42ball entertaining 99*. Sujit fell just one run short of what could have been the 1st ton of MPL. Sujit literally took on the bowlers and lit every corner of the ground with as many as 6fours and 9big sixes much to the entertainment of his teammates and the spectators alike. Sobo Supersonics reached a massive total of 236/3 in 20 overs on the back of his superlative innings & eventually won that match by 78runs and Sujit was declared ‘man of the match’
4th-Yogesh Takawale-140* off 115balls (RHB), Young Comrade Shield ‘18
Played at the DY Patil Ground between Mumbai Police and DY Patil, Mumbai Police won the toss and elected to field first. Maybe they were not aware how strong DY Patil’s batting line-up is as DY Patil showed them their might by notching up 528/9 in mere 69overs. Yogesh Takawale was the highest scorer for DY Patil hitting a superlative 140*off just 115balls smashing 9fours and 4sixes while also stitching a 222run stand with Sarvesh Damle. It was on the back of experienced Yogesh Takawale, DY Patil won the match by a big margin of 166runs while defending their massive total.
3rd-Ajinkya Patil-124 off 54 (RHB), Dreamz T20 Tournament ‘18
Played between Beranard Shipping and WNS at the MB Union Sports Ground, Bernard Shipping made WNS to bat first and opening the innings- Ajinkya smashed a superlative 124 off mere 54balls wherein no bowler was spared in his onslaught. Ajinkya set the ground on fire hitting 7sixes and 7boundaries to enthrall his team mates as well as the spectators with the fastest Dreamz T20 hundred of this season. Ajinkya smashed some really good cricketing shots and was impressive which pushed his team total to a massive 277/4 in 20overs. Eventually, WNS won the match by a big margin of 195runs in a T20 match which itself is a record and opener Ajinkya was declared ‘man of the match’ for his blazing knock of 124.
2nd– Nirav Bheda (RHB)-91* off 63balls, Gannon Dunkerley T20 Trophy ‘18
Played at the Brabourne Stadium, this knock by Nirav reminded us of Dhoni and Michael Bevan as they both were the original master of chases. Nirav just did a similar thing playing for Osians cc vs CCI in the Gannon Dunkerley Clash. Osian’s electing to bowl first restricted CCI to 142 and while chasing 143, Osians were struggling badly at 24/3 and 59/5 at one point until their talented middle order batsman Nirav Bheda came in and played a gem of a knock. Nirav went on to score a thumping 63ball 91* which included 9fours and a six to take his team towards the victory line from nowhere. It was a really hard fought knock wherein he ran for almost 60% of his runs single handedly steering Osians to a win. Nirav kept on frustrating the opposition bowlers as he just kept on taking those ones and twos not allowing the fielders or any bowlers to rest.
& Finally the No.1
1st-Suryakumar Yadav(RHB)- 90* off 42balls, In the Finals of Mumbai Premier League ‘18
The bigboy of Mumbai cricket and the most talented name doing the rounds-Suryakumar who bashed bravo recently playing for Mumbai Indians a few days ago did a similar thing and that too in the high pressure finals vs Shivaji Park Lions at the Wankhede Stadium.
Shivaji Park Lions decision to bowl first looked spot on at one point when Mumbai North East suffered a top order collapse struggling at 16/4 & 34/5 in a finals game. Most of the cricketing pundits had given up and put their bets on Shivaji Park Lions clinching an easy win but that was not the fact as captain Suryakumar Yadav who came at no.7 played a mesmerizing knock rescuing Mumbai North East from a low total. Surya went on to score a magnetizing 90* off mere 42deliveries smashing 7fours and 7sixes. Surya anchored the team like how usually Dhoni does down the order as he literally kept on smashing the bowlers out of the park without worrying much or taking any pressure on himself. Surya showcased how he can deliver under intense pressure games while also showed how powerful his reflexes are while he got fantastic support from Parikshit Valsangkar too who smashed a 49ball 59* assisting Surya in a match winning 84ball 148 run stand taking the team total to 182/5 in 20 overs.
Also the highlight of his blazing innings was the penultimate 20th over where he thrashed Roystan Dias for 24runs ending the innings in supreme style and domination!
It was on the back of his fantastic knock Mumbai North East won the finals by 3runs and skipper Surya who was declared ‘man of the match’ led from the front as a skipper.
CRICKETGRAPH
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