Pune boys win it for Puneri Bappa at Shriram Capital Maharashtra Premier League (MPL)
Pune, 18th June 2023: Divided by clubs, united by Puneri Bappa. This may sound like an advertisement for a chilled beverage. Still, Puneri Bappa’s easy 7-wicket thrashing of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings in Shriram Capital Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) on Sunday night was the epitome of it.
After restricting their opponent to a modest 146 for 8 in 20 overs, Pune chased down the target in 16.2 overs with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad 29 (18b, 1×4, 2x6s), who plays for Verroc Vengsarkar Club, playing a role of finisher.
The story of the match was that Pune players, playing for different clubs in the city with fierce rivalry, came together to script a memorable second victory of the tournament.
Pacer Piyush Salvi (2-36 in 4 overs) plays for Deccan Gymkhana. Left-arm spinner Rohan Damle (2 for 28), Aditya Daware (1 for 24 in 2) both of PYC Hindu Gymkhana, Offie Yash Kshirsagar (1 for 14 in 3) of Club of Maharashtra and left-arm pacer Sachin Bhosale (1 for 8 in 3), were on song from the word go.
Bhosale castled Murtaza Trunkwala for a golden duck in the first over to start the proceedings. Salvi then sent back Hrishikesh Daund (4, 5b) in the second over.
Wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale 31 (23b, 3x4s, 2x6s) and Om Bhosale 46 (33b, 5x4s, 1×6) took the team total to 50 but once Nawale was dismissed by Daware, the wickets kept tumbling at a regular interval.
Hitesh Valunj’s late run-a-ball 19 ensured Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings put up a decent total on board.
The 15,000-plus crowd had come to see the IPL winner with Chennai Super Kings Ruturaj bat, but he did not open the batting and sent Adarsh Botara to open the innings with Pawan Shah, who plays for Verroc. But, Botara perished on just 1 in the second over. In came Yash Kshirsagar.
The duo took the attack to the opposition and found the gaps with ease. The real change in momentum came in the last two overs of the powerplay. In the fifth over bowled by former India U-19 player Mohsin Sayyed, Yash Kshirsagar smashed 18 runs with three fours and a six with a straight drive past Sayyed being the best of the lot. However, he was caught at short third man on 35 (18b, 6x4s, 1×6) in the 7th over bowled by left-arm spinner Valunj.
The last over of the powerplay bowled by offie Shamshuzama Kazi yielded 22 runs with two sixes and two fours, hit by Pawan Shah. Shah’s fifty came in the 10th over of the innings, but he too was dismissed soon after 53 off just 32 balls and laced with six fours and two maximums.
At the fall of Shah, came in skipper Gaikwad, who finished up the run chase with ease along with Advay Shidhaye 23 (28b, 1×4), another guy from Pune, playing his cricket at United Sports Club.
This is Pune’s second win on the trot. On Monday, they will face Eagle Nashik Titans led by Rahul Tripathi, ironically, a player of Deccan Gymkhana. Both sides are on 4 points and whoever wins this high-octane clash, will take the lead in the points table.
Brief scores: Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings: 146 for 8 in 20 overs (Om Bhosale 46, Saurabh Nawale 31; Rohan Damle 2-28, Piyush Salvi 2-36) lost to Puneri Bappa: 147 for 3 in 16.2 (Pawan Shah 53, Yash Kshirsagar 35, Hitesh Walunj 1-21, Rameshwar Daud 1-21) by 7 wickets.
