Determined DTDC scrape past W. Railway into final

Mumbai, March 17:  A determined DTDC Express cricket team showed great character as they staved off a spirited fight back from Western Railway SA by snatching a tight 6-run victory in an exciting second semi-final of the RCF T20 cricket tournament  2023 for the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Cup, organized by Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited under the auspices of the MCA (Mumbai Cricket Association) and played at the RCF Colony ground, Chembur on Thursday evening.

Deciding to take first strike DTDC Express amassed a total of 188 for 9 wickets from their 20 overs. Middle-order bat Vedant Murkar struck a fighting 39-ball 70 runs (6×4,4×6), opening batsman and captain Anish Choudhary scored a 26-ball 44 runs (4×4,3×6) and a late charge from Ajinkya Beloshe who smashed three sixes and two boundaries during his quick 9-ball 28 runs innings which swelled the total. Western Railway’s medium pacers Drushant Soni 4 for 28 and Vijay Gadhvi 2 for 46 claimed the wickets.

Later, DTDC Express kept their composure and held their nerves and halted Western Railway’s charge by restricting them to 182 for 6 wickets from the stipulated 20 overs and to snatch a close win.

DTDC Express will meet Teleperformance DIBS in the final on Monday.

DTDC Express made a shaky start losing three quick wickets with just a solitary run on the board in the second over. But, skipper Choudhary along with Omkar Ghule (9 runs) put the innings back on track with a 50-run partnership. Later, Murkar and Maxwell Swaminathan (13 runs) put together 67 runs for the sixth wicket before Beloshe with his fiery knock swelled the total.

In reply, Western Railway also suffered early setbacks losing both the openers Mrunal Devdhar and Asad Pathan for ducks. But, left-handed Chavan batted aggressively making a 34-ball 63 runs which included eight boundaries and three sixes. Later, Soni 41 runs (26-balls, 3×4,1×6), Omprakash Jaiswal 40 runs (24-balls, 7×4) and Nikhunj Mohite 21 runs kept Western’s on track. But, the DTDC bowlers were disciplined and put the brakes on the opposition batsmen who were unable to get the last few runs and failed to cross the finish line.

Brief scores: DTDC Express CC 188 for 9, 20 over (Vedant Murkar 70 (39-balls, 6×4,4×6), Anish Choudhary 44 (26-balls, 4×4,3×6), Ajinkya Beloshe 28 (9-balls, 2×4,3×6); Drushant Soni 4 for 28, Vijay Gadhvi 2 for 46) beat Western Railway SA 182 for 6, 20 overs (Jay Chauhan 63 (34-balls, 8×4,3×6), Drushant Soni 41 (26-balls, 3×4,1×6), Omprakash Jaiswal 40 (24-balls, 7×4), Nikhunj Mohite 21; Ankit Singh 3 for 29). Result: DTDC Express CC won by 6 runs.