Delhi suffered a heartbreaking one-run defeat against Vidarbha in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy second quarter-final on November 1. India’s Under-19 World Cup 2022-winning captain Yash Dhull could not cope up with the pressure in a tensed game as Delhi lost the game off the final delivery despite him being on strike since powerplay overs.
Perfect start
Delhi needed to chase down the target of 158 at Jadavpur University Campus 2nd Ground, Kolkata, to reach the semi-final. Openers Himmat Singh and Shikhar Dhawan got Delhi off to a blazing start in the powerplay overs. Yash Thakur got the much-needed breakthrough in the fifth over. Himmat contributed with 14-ball 27 in the 48-run opening partnership.
Dhawan falls
After the powerplay overs, Delhi had 60 runs on the board. Dhull struggled to rotate the strike early in the innings. Then, Aditya Sarwate got the prized wicket of Dhawan in the ninth over. The southpaw scored 37 runs from 27 deliveries including seven fours. Boundaries dried up as Dhull and skipper Nitish Rana took their time in the middle. Sarwate struck again and dismissed Rana in the 13th over. He conceded just 16 runs in his quota of four overs and took two big wickets.
Dhull, Badoni struggle
No boundaries were scored till the 16th over. Ayush Badoni could not get the shot away either. In the 17th over, Dhull showed signs of aggression with two boundaries off Umesh Yadav. Badoni tried to take on Thakur in the next over but got out. He scored just 11 runs from 15 deliveries. In the penultimate over, Umesh conceded 16 runs. Lalit Yadav hit a four and a six whereas Dhull got one boundary as well. Thakur was given the responsibility to defend 10 runs.
Thakur's brave defense
Dhull got a single off the first ball. Thakur followed it up with a wide. Lalit went for a big shot off the next delivery but ended up getting dismissed. Wicketkeeper-batter Lakshay Thareja walked into the middle and got one boundary away. Thakur came back well and got his wicket off the next ball. Shivank Vashisht got a single off the penultimate delivery to get Dhull on strike. Three runs were needed off the final delivery. Dhull went for the big shot but could manage just a single as Thakur held his nerve to help Vidarbha reach the semi-final.
Thakur bowled brilliantly and took four wickets while conceding 29 runs in his four overs. Dhull was left frustrated in the end. He remained not out for 29 off 40 deliveries including just three boundaries.
Ishant, Saini trouble top-order
Earlier skipper Rana won the toss and opted to field first. Experienced pacer Ishant Sharma opened the innings with a maiden over. Navdeep Saini struck early to send Atharva Taide (1) back to the pavillion in his first over. After the powerplay overs, Vidarbha had 42 runs on the board. Delhi bowlers were in control. At the halfway stage, Vidarbha had 65 runs on the board.
Captain's knock and crucial cameo
Shivank Vashisht broke the second-wicket partnership with the wicket of Sanjay Raghunath (31). Apoorv Wankhade (15) hit a few boundaries but Ishant came back into the attack to take his wicket. Jitesh Sharma (15) played a cameo which was ended by Mayank Yadav in the 16th over. In the 17th over, Wadkar reached his half-century with a six. Wadkar hit a few boundaries in the death overs. He got run out in the final over. Vidarbha skipper scored 63 runs from 53 deliveries including seven fours and one six. Kulwant Khejroliya could not finish well and conceded 19 runs in the final over including two sixes and a four from Shubham Dubey's bat. Shubham scored 29 runs from 13 deliveries to help Vidarbha post a fighting total of 157/5.
