El Clasico Jewellery after opting to bat first at the Fatima School Cricket Ground posted a total of 151/9 in 20 overs. Opener Ketan and Mukesh Gupta were the top scores scoring 43 and 48 respectively. From the bowlers, Roshan Ade came up with a sensational spell that too in the pressure finals coming up with envious bowling figures of 5/20 in 4 overs. Roshan did not allow the batsman to settle down taking wickets at regular junctures.
Roshan Cricket Club & Academy chased down the score in just 17.1 overs. Despite a poor opening start, Moin Khan changed the game with his attacking 50 off 31 balls and also received support from Sanket Jadhav (29). Roshan Ade (18* off 8) who was the star bowler ensured the limelight remained focused on him as he finished off the game with two big sixes as Roshan CC went on to win the Jolly Friends Tournament by 4 wkts and 2.5 overs to spare.
Roshan Ade for obvious reasons was also declared ‘man of the match‘. Roshan was also declared ‘man of the series’ for taking 10 wkts and 233 runs.
North Mumbai Panthers after being made to bat first at Wankhede were off to a decent start with Shaw (22) and Vikrant Auti (22) putting up 31 odd runs in the first 3 overs but after 10 overs the scoreboard was stuck at a modest 78/3 in 10 overs.
In came power-hitter Sairaj to change the game in a matter of few overs as he plonked bowlers for 4 biggies en-route his quick 18 ball 46. Karan Nandey who came at no.7 continued the positive momentum left behind by Sairaj as he went on to score a blazing 50 off 23 balls. Karan who has toiled hard at the local level with some outstanding performances in Times Shield, Kanga, Thane Vaibhav, Young Comrade and many more tournaments over the years finally grasps the opportunity with both the hands as he gained lot of fans today for his aggressive batting under pressure taking North Mumbai Panthers to 190/8 in 20 overs. Ankush Jaiswal was excellent with the ball conceeding mere 23 runs in 4 overs with a wicket while Sagar Mishra who affected Shaw’s run out was also impressive with the ball taking 1/25 in 4 overs. Both the bowlers won hearts when other bowlers were getting thrashed at almost 10 runs per over.
Chasing 191 on Wankhede is never easy but the experienced Aditya Tare & opener Kaushik Chikhlikar put on 87 runs for the 2nd wicket which brought them back into the game. Kaushik scored a solid 56 (41 balls) while Aditya Tare scored a brilliant 71 in 44 balls (10 fours) where he was looking dangerous to finish off the game. However, Sarfaraz Khan (13 off 7) lost his wicket on a rash shot or they could have easily crossed the victory line. The match eventually boiled down to the last over with 7 runs required off the last ball where North Mumbai Panthers emerged victorious as they won the match by 6 runs. Left arm pacer Atif Attarwala was brilliant with the ball taking big wickets at crucial intervals coming up with 3/37 in 4 overs.
- Brief Scores-
- North Mumbai Panthers-190/8 in 20 overs, Karan Nande 50, Sairaj Patil 46, Ankush Jaiwal 1/23, Sagar Mishra 1/25
- Eagle Thane Strikers-184/5 in 20 overs, Aditya Tare 71, Kaushik C 56, Atif Attarwala 3/37
- Result- North Mumbai Panthers won by 6 wkts
Nepal team after batting first at the Tribhundas University International Ground in Nepal posted a total of 140/4 in 20 overs. Opener D Singh played a stylish knock of 66 runs off 66 balls laced with 7 boundaries anchoring the team to a respectable total. From India, Parsuram Desale with 1/8 in 4 overs was the pick of the bowlers while Sanjeev Singh with 1/22 was the 2nd best of the lot as both the bowlers kept a tight line and length to rattle the batsman.
Indian team despite losing wickets at regular intervals had back up in their senior batsman at the middle order. Coming at no.4, Vishwanath Gurav played a match winning knock of 50* in mere 32 balls (9 fours) as he took on the bowlers and released the pressure for his team with his aggressive brand of batting steering India to its maiden Asia Cup win.
Vishwanath Speaking exclusively with Cricketgraph shared- “That the wicket was good to bat on, it was hard and was enjoying my shots, yes we did lose wickets in between but I knew if I bat till the end, we will win the match”
- Brief Scores-
- Nepal-140/4 in 20 overs, Digam Singh 66, Bipin 33, Parsuram Desale 1/8, Sanjeev Singh 1/22
- India-142/4 in 16.1 overs, V Gurav 50*, Parsuram D 19, D Magar 1/20
- Result-Indian Wheelchair Team win by 6 wkts
- Man of the Match- Vishwanath Gurav
Shivaji Park Center opting to bat first at Air India Sports Club, Kalina were reduced to mere 78 runs all out in 38.3 overs. The tormentor in chief was the promising left arm spinner Shubham Kharat making life difficult for the batsman on the ground. Shubham came up with bowling figures of 6/23 in 12.3 overs as he kept giving breakthroughs at regular intervals. All-rounder Roneet Thakkur also bowled well taking 3/11 in 6 overs.
Kalina Center in reply declared their innings for 184 runs where in opener Vedant Gadia top scored with 49 runs. From Shivaji Park, Gaurav Vishwakarma was the pick of the bowlers with 4/32. Trailing a lead of 96 runs, Shivaji Park again suffered a collapse getting all out for 94 runs. Left-arm Spinner Shubham Kharat was again the pick of the bowlers taking 4/16 in 6 overs as he ended the match with a tall of 10/39 in 22 overs which are impressive bowling figures.
Kalina Center won the match outright by an innings and 2 runs while it was surely Shubham’s bowling being the highlight performance of the match.
Route Mobile and Cricket share a very intimate relationship. Be it the cricket enthusiast owners in Rajdip Gupta and Sandip Gupta, or talented cricketer employees in Datta Mithbavkar, Route Mobile is one of the few companies in Mumbai that emphasizes on the importance of the sport within the corporate culture.
Rajdip Gupta has played a quintessential role in carving the cricketing landscape of the company. During his early days in cricket as a kid, he had visited a cricket academy which unceremoniously asked him to leave because he had no shoes. That very day he decided, come hell or high, anybody who comes to him wearing a cricketing heart on his/her sleeve, he would selflessly helps them.
Under the able aegis of Rajdip, Datta Mithbavkar (commonly known as Datta) has been the bridge that has connected cricket and Route Mobile. Datta has been associated with the company for more than a decade. A while ago, Datta played his first match for Route Mobile at Thakur Village in Kandivali, Mumbai. There he grabbed many eye balls, as he spun a neatly crafted web to pick up a five-wicket haul. Datta’s fifer was the mark of something exciting that was soon to be followed.
Route Mobile has always thrived under the shadow of its passionate owners Rajdip Gupta and Sandip Gupta. “Seeking the support of the management is an essential pre-requisite if you want to do something new in the company”, averred Datta. Fortunately for the ace spinner, the owners are cricket enthusiasts and their passion for the game is simply unmatched.
After Datta’s heroics with the ball at Kandivali, cricket was taken more seriously in Route and the foundation stone of formally playing the sport in the company was soon laid. The employees of Route Mobile formed a team and started practicing. Datta and co. soon represented Route Mobile in different tournaments including the prestigious Times Shield.
Seeing the success of their cricket team, the owners bought National Cricket Club, one of the best known & reputed cricket clubs in Mumbai. Another feather to its cap was added, when Route Mobile invested in the North Mumbai Panthers, a team that features in Mumbai’s T20 extravaganza.
There is seldom any doubt that Datta is synonymous with Route Mobile’s cricket. The company is known to promote cricket by way of encouraging employees to play the sport as well as recruiting cricketers, who not only get means of livelihood but also the opportunity to play the game. Chivalry is the attribute that can be associated with Datta. Whether it is on the field or off the field, he enjoys the goodwill of being one of the most benevolent human beings. Extending help to others comes naturally to him. Off the field Datta is known to refer cricketers not only in his own company Route Mobile but also outside.
“Ive always wanted to help cricketers and will continue to do so. This influence is also because of my bosses. I have never come across a person like my boss Rajdip Gupta, who has so selflessly & tirelessly worked towards cricket. His passion & love towards cricket is unimaginable”, avers Datta
A humble human being, Datta is indisputably the face of cricket in Route Mobile and plays an instrumental role in the company’s cricket. He started off his career in Route Mobile as a Customer support & currently working as Sports Manager of Route Mobile and partly managing the Mumbai T20 team, Mumbai North Panthers.
Just like how commentators were referring to him as Prolific Parag, he is indeed one prolific batsman when it comes to club and local cricket. Toiling hard for years and finally entering a recognizable stage, the 33yd old has come a long way into the strides of Mumbai cricket finally receiving all the opportunies and accolades he deserves.
Sobo Supersonics batting first at Wankhede were not off to their best starts with both the openers-Bista (14) and Tank (15) falling out early. However, Parag who came at no.4 ensured that the people who came to the grounds to support T20 Mumbai were’nt left disappointed. Parag went on to score a brilliant 96 runs coming in mere 49 deliveries which included 10 fours and 5 sixes. His knock also included some one handed sixes and attempted helicopter shots which are good signs of a batsman in supreme touch. Parag also stitched a crucial stand with Mansignh Nigade (33) with whom he stitched a 118 run stand for the 3rd wicket taking Sobo Supersonics to a healthy total of 188/5 in 20 overs. From Arcs, Tushar Deshpande with 1/33 in 4 overs was the pick of the bowlers.
Arcs Andheri in reply failed to keep up with the run rate and they also lacked batsman who could convert their 20’s and 30’s into a big score as they managed to reach only 140/9 in 20 overs. Rohan Raje bowled a terrific spell conceding mere 8 runs and taking 2 wkts in his 3 overs while quickster Badrey Alam also chipped in with 2 wkts.
Sobo Supersonics won the match by 48 runs while prolific Parag was declared ‘man of the match’. Coach Umesh Patwal must be a happy man to see his player performing to the core at the big stage!
There was something which we witnessed today was a start of a movement for the local cricket. Yes it was a small beginning, it was a humble start but yes whatever it was, they were good signs for local cricket. If day 1 of the match can bring this much attention from the crowd as well as the media, the tournament will certainly have a huge traction by the end of the season 2!
When our CG team attended the media box end at the Wankhede Stadium, on their way, they found ticket vendors selling tickets outside station, they came across young boys asking for the route to Gate no.7, there was a proper entourage of security for the crowd to handle and to everyone’s delight, on a hot sunny summer day which also happens to be a working day, there was full media attendance from various media houses, there were spectators coming out in support of T20 Mumbai, the attendance in the crowd was surely not in three digits, there were special team buses with their team logos, there was band and cheerleaders! For a moment, it never looked like it was T20 Mumbai, it looked like any other International quality match happening at the Wankhede and these are nothing but wonderful signs for Mumbai Cricket where the club and first class cricketers are finally getting recognized.
Triumph Knights Mumbai North East batting first were found to be struggling with wickets falling at regular intervals. In an innings where the 2nd highest score was just 14, it was again Surya fresh from an IPL Trophy win a day ago shining truly like a sun. Coming at no.4, Suryakumar batted till the very end showing he belongs to a different league altogether. A well crafted 90* off just 56 balls witnessed 4 fours and 7 sixes and the best part of his innings was how he changed gears during the death overs. In the 1st half of his innings, Surya was playing at a strike rate of lower 100’s but he ended his innings with a strike rate of almost 180 with 28 runs in the last over thrashing youngster Minad Manjrekar for big sixes. Surya eventually took Mumbai North East to a total of 147/6 in 20 overs. Anjdeep Lad with 2/12 and Dhawal Kulkarni with 1/23 in 4 overs were the pick of the bowlers from Aakash Tigers.
Chasing 148, Aakash Tigers were off to a solid start with openers A Gomel (34) and Kaustub Pawar (41) putting up 67 runs for the 1st wicket. The rest of the batsman chipped in with starts as Aakash Tigers crossed the victory line in 19.3 overs winning the match by 5 wkts.
It was a good win for Aakash Tigers but it was certainly Surya stealing the show bringing in his T20 experience and form into T20 Mumbai!
Kurla SC after opting to bat first at the Bengal Club ground posted a decent total of 234/ in 45 overs. Opening the innings, Jayraj Popat scored a solid 50 off 61 balls which had 5 fours while it was all-rounder Jitesh Purabia at n0.5 again coming good for his team. Jitesh top score for his team hitting an impressive 73 off 80 balls which had 8 fours and a six ensuring the team crossed the 200 run mark.
Union Cricket Academy who were 57/5 at one stage got back into the game for a small session where in Mahendra Kadam at no.7 reigniting hopes for some time with his valiant 56 off 66 balls (7 fours). However, Union CA were all out for 153 runs with Pritam Shinde (3/19) and Bhavik Patel (2/19) being the pick of the bowlers.
Kurla Sport Club win the pre-quarterfinals and are at the top of the table on the back of some impressive team performance.
Ghatkoper Jolly Gymkhana after being put to bat first at the KSA Cross Maidan suffered a batting collapse getting all out for 54 runs. The team was struggling at one stage with 5/4. 11/6 and 7/19 before they luckily crossed the 50 run mark with the help of their lower order batsman. Left-arm fast bowler Shadab Usmani wrecked havoc over the opposition as he came up with an excellent spell of 5/13 in 8 overs with 4 maidens.
DY Patil Center in reply dominated with the bat too, Shaun Rodrigues opening the innings smashed an impressive 89 off 101 balls and also stitched a 135 run stand with Aadithyan Dev who came at no.4. Dev went on to score a classy knock of 175 runs in 196 balls (20 fours, 4 sixes) as he anchored the innings pushing DY Patil to a total of 327/5 dec in 70.1 overs.
Ghatkoper Jolly Gymhana trailing 273 runs in their 2nd innings were all out for 170 runs and this time it was left arm spinner Atharva Dakway impressing one and all with a spell of 5/32 in 19.1 overs with 8 maidens. Atharva got crucial wickets at regular intervals as DY Patil Center went on to win the match outright by an innings and 103 runs.
Kalina Center after opting to bat first at Matunga Gymkhana, Dadkar Maidan were off to a decent start with Jash Ganiga (73) and Angkrish (27) putting 98 runs for the 1st wicket. Coming at no.3, Ayush Jethwa carried the positive momentum ahead as he went on to score an impressive hundred. After remaining unbeaten on 99* in Kanga Knockout, Ayush this time reached the three digit figures as he scored 101 off 126 balls laced with 13 boundaries taking team total to 316/10 in 65 overs. Left-arm spinner Aditya Jadhav was the pick of the bowlers with 5/71 while off-spinner Manthan also bagged wkts.
Shivaji Park Center were bundled out for 158 runs thanks to a magical spell of spin bowling by Zenith Sachdev. Conceeding mere 9 runs in a spell of 16 overs, Zenith bagged 6 wkts alongwith 10 maidens which are just stunning numbers to dwell upon! Receiving a follow on, Shivaji Park were again all out for 101 runs with Zenith taking 2 wkts for 0 runs! Umar Khan was also impressive with his spell of 3/9 in 7 overs as Kalina Center won the match outright by an innings and 57 runs.
After an 11 wkt haul in the previous match, there is no stopping this left arm spinner as he continues to stamp his presence as one of the most promising spinners in his age category.