Arshin Kulkarni Shines as Nashik Titans Clinch Thrilling Win in Maharashtra Premier League (MPL)
Pune, June 16 2023: Maharashtra and National Cricket Academy (NCA) U-19 player Arshin Kulkarni starred with all-round perforamnce as Eagle Nashik Titans defeated Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings by four runs (DLS method) in their Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) match at the MCA International Stadium in Gahunje on Friday.
Opening the batting, Kulkarni smashed 60 (34b, 3x4s, 5x6s) to set up the platform for Nashik and then defended 16 off the last over to take his side home.
Put into bat, Nashik put 195 for 6 on board in their 20 overs with one brief rain interruption in the 16th over. Former India U-19 Mohsin Syyed and U-19 World Cup winner and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings skipper Rajvardhan Hangargekar opened the bowling but were put to sword by Kulkarni and veteran Harshad Khadiwale 43 (34b, 3x4s, 2x6s), who gathered 61 runs in the powerplay.
In the middle phase, after Kulkarni holed out to Shamshuzama Kazi off Rameshwar Daud’s bowling, Nashik’s innings took a wobble. He was followed by Khadiwale, Skipper Rahul Tripathi 11 (8b), India U-19 Siddesh Veer 7 (9b), Mandar Bhandari 8 (5b) to slip to 135 for 5 in the 16th over, when rain briefly interrupted the play.
But, Dhanraj Shinde 35 (17b, 1×4, 3x6s) and Kaushal Tambe 21 (14b, 2x4s) ensured that Eagle Nashik Titans put a formidable 195 on the board.
The second and lengthy rain interruption took place just 8 balls into Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings’ chase, which resulted in their target revised to 157 off 15 overs.
Nashik-born Murtaza Trunkwala 35 (21b, 6x4s, 1×6) and wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale 46 (24b, 7x4s) started brightly to put on 63 for the opening wicket inside the powerplay, before Trunkwala was caught off Akshay Waikar’s bowling.
Nawale was dismissed by leggie Prashant Solanki, who recently switched allegiances from Mumbai to Maharashtra in domestic cricket with 103 on board. After Nawale’s fall, Kings lost the plot and slipped to 105 for 5 in the 12th over.
All-rounder Ranjeet Nikam 24 (18b, 2x4s) tried to keep his side in the chase, but Eagle Nashik Titans closed out the game to register their first victory in the tournament.
Nashik next face Solapur Royals on June 18 at 2pm, while Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings take on Puneri Bappa later that evening.
Brief scores: Eagle Nashik Titans 195 for 6 in 20 overs (Arshin Kulkarni 60, Harshad Khadiwale 43; Shamshuzama Kazi 2-31, Rameshwar Daud 2-31) beat Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings 152 for 6 (Saurabh Nawale 46, Murtaza Trunkwala 35; Akshay Waikar 2-22) by 4 runs (DLS method).
