IndiaFirst nudge past Mahindra Insurance brokers in the Corporate T10 Cricket Shield’18

It was great carnival atmosphere at the Dadar Parsee Colony Gymkhana, Matunga, Mumbai this Sunday (22-Dec-2018). The prestigious Corporate T10 Cricket Shield 2018-19 organised by Positiveleap Management just got started with a bang. 16 competent Teams across 4 Groups would battle it out to reach the Semi-finals by topping their respective Pools.

IndiaFirst Life Insurance took on the mighty Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd. in their first League Match of the Tournament. After winning the Toss, they elected to bat on one of the best Pitches at the Matunga Gymkhana Ground.

They got to a good start with 32/1 in 3.4 Overs before Babli Sharma was run out after scoring a quick 22 off 14 Balls that included 1 Four & 2 Sixes. At 50/2 in 5.3 Overs, they looked poised for a total in excess of 100. But with 3 quick wickets falling at the same score, they found themselves reeling at 50/5 in 6.1 Overs. Only a late order lusty hitting by Waseem Sayyed (28 off 15) with 3 huge Sixes ensured that they reached a respectable 84/7 in the allotted 10 Overs.

Pacer Siddhesh More was the pick of the Bowlers with excellent Figures of 2-1-4-2. Medium pacer Gaurav Suryavanshi (11 in 2 Overs) and off-spinner Kapildev Sardesai with 2 wickets provided good support.

While Bowling, IndiaFirst kept it tight from the start with a brilliant Spell from Medium Pacer Pushkar Sharma, who ended with Figures of 2-0-10-2.

Needing 49 in 30 Balls with 8 wickets in hand, it was anybody’s game after the 6th Over. 29 Runs in the next 2 Overs really turned the tide in favour of Mahindra, with just 20 needed in 18 Balls with 8 Wickets to spare. Left Arm Spinner Waseem Sayyed took a crucial Wicket and gave away just 7 Runs.

With 13 needed off the last 2 Overs, with 7 wickets still remaining, Skipper Ajish Abdul Rehman decided to take upon himself and have another go at the opposition (despite conceding 14 Runs and a leg bye in his previous over that included 8 wides). A brave decision at such a crucial juncture, it turned out to be Match-turning one. 6 Balls of sheer quick Bowling saw 2 Wickets for just 2 Runs.

With 11 needed in the last Over, he trusted his deputy Ramana Meesala to do the job for the Team in the tense moments with his great experience. Ramana had represented his State AP in the Under-16 to Under-23 Categories till 2005. He didn’t disappoint though, with a measured first 5 Balls that saw just 3 Runs and a Wicket. With 8 required off 2 Balls, 4 Byes ensured that it went till the wire. 4 needed off 1, and a dot ball ensured that IndiaFirst Life Insurance Won by 3 Runs. Waseem was awarded the Man of the Match Award for his All-round performace.

It was a great start to a professionally organised Tournament.