Defending champions Parsee Gymkhana were a determined lot and they managed to make a winning start by snatching a thrilling 6-run victory against Young Mohammedan Cricket Club in a quarter-final match of the 71st Nawab Salar Jung Invitation T20 Cricket Tournament, organised by Islam Gymkhana under the auspices of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), and played at the Parsee Gymkhana ground, Marine Drive.
Shams Mulani
Champions of the last three editions, Parsee Gymkhana, who were sent into bat first could only muster a low total of 132 runs for 9 wickets from their 20 overs. The Parsee Gymkhana innings got off to a shaky start before number six bat Shams Mulani came to their rescue with a cameo unbeaten knock of 66 runs (34balls, 5×4, 4×6) which provided some respectability to the total. Young Mohammedan medium pacer Akhtar Shaikh (3 for 26) and off-break bowler Sanket Pande (3 for 18) were the main wicket-takers.
Defending a low target, Parsee Gymkhana put up a solid fight and did well to restrict Young Mohammedan CC to126 runs for 9 wickets from their stipulated 20 overs and scrape through to the semi-finals. The leading run-scorers for Young Mohammedan were Ajinkya Beloshe 31 runs, Sanket Pande 27 runs and Piyush Sohane 21 runs. Parsee Gymkhana’s medium pacer Anjdeep Lad (3 for 36) and left-arm spinner Shahid Dalvi (2 for 19) were responsible for getting the wickets. Mulani was the outstanding player, as besides the batting efforts he also contributed to the win by picking one wicket and taking a catch.
In another last eight encounter, Muslim United Sports Club defeated fancied Bombay Gymkhana by four wickets to seal their place in the semi-finals.
Muslim United deciding to field first, bowled well to frustrate the Bombay Gymkhana batsmen and reduced them to 138 for 8 wickets from the 20 overs. Yash Salunkhe 43 runs, Bhupen Lalwani 26 runs and Eknath Kerkar 20 runs were the only batsmen who managed to get decent runs. United’s left-arm spinners Farhan Kazi (3 for 17) and Vinayak Bhoir (2 for 27) and medium pacer Vaibhav Chougule (2 for 23) destroyed the Bombay Gymkhana innings.
Muslim United batters played steadily and kept the scoreboard ticking and managed to surpass the rival total reaching 139 for 6 wickets from 20 overs. Opener Khalid Ahmed top-scored with a brilliant 53 runs (40balls, 8×4, 1×6), number 4 bat Vinayak Bhoir chipped with a useful 44 runs (31balls, 4×4, 2×6) and Deepak Kumar contributed 24 runs (20balls, 1×4, 1×6) to secure Muslim United’s victory. Saurabh Singh (3 for 35) was Bombay Gymkhana’s most successful bowler.
Brief scores: Parsee Gymkhana 132 for 9 wickets, 20 overs (Shams Mulani 66 (34balls, 5×4, 4×6); Akhtar Shaikh 3 for 26, Sanket Pande 3 for 18) beat Young Mohammedan Cricket Club 126 for 9 wickets, 20 overs (Ajinkya Beloshe 31, Sanket Pande 27, Piyush Sohane 21; Anjdeep Lad 3 for 36, Shahid Dalvi 2 for 19). Result: Parsee Gymkhana won by 6 runs.
Bombay Gymkhana 138 for 8 wickets, 20 overs (Yash Salunkhe 43, Bhupen Lalwani 26, Eknath Kerkar 20; Farhan Kazi (LA) 3 for 17, Vaibhav Chougule (MP) 2 for 23, Vinayak Bhoir (LA) 2 for 27) lost to Muslim United Sports Club 139 for 6 wickets, 20 overs (Open: Khalid Ahmed 53 (40b, 8×4, 1×6), No.4: Vinayak Bhoir 44 (31b, 4×4, 2×6), Deepak Kumar 24 (20b, 1×4, 1×6); Saurabh Singh 3 for 35). Result: Muslim United SC won by 4 wickets.