Western Railway SA inspired by brilliance of Drushant Soni who picked 4 wickets for 19 runs and opening bat Mrunal Devdhar who smashed a quick 27-ball 66 runs steamrolled past Mumbai Port Trust SC recording an 8-wicket victory in a quarter-final match of the RCF T20 cricket tournament for the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Cup 2023, organized by Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited under the auspices of the MCA (Mumbai Cricket Association) and played at the RCF Colony ground, Chembur on Tuesday.
In the semi-finals, Western Railway will meet DTDC Express CC who convincingly defeated Nirlon SC by 7 wickets. DTDC Express fielding first bowled out Nirlon SC for 164 runs in 20 overs. Agni Chopra 47 runs (32-balls, 1×4,3×6), Amogh Bhatkal 22 runs and Sandeep Kunchikor 20 runs propped the Nirlon innings, while Omkar Ghule took 3 wickets for 13. In reply, DTDC Express CC powered by Satyalash Jain unbeaten 52-ball 87 runs, which was studded with an equal number of six boundaries and sixes and Maxwell Swaminathan 22 runs steered the team to victory.
Deciding to field first, Western Railway bowlers, in particular Soni, claimed wickets at regular intervals to dismiss MbPT SC for 132 runs in 19.1 overs. The only batsman to stay long in the middle for Vedprakash Jaiswal who struck 41 (29-balls, 2×4,2×6) which lifted the innings. Soni got good support from Kunal Karmchandani 2 for 10 and Hitesh Kadam 2 for 32.
In reply, Western Railway easily reached the winning target making 133 runs for 2 wickets in just 12 overs. Opening bat Devdhar led the charge with his half century knock which included 10 boundaries and 3 sixes. Amen Bawa chipped in with an unbeaten 24 runs and Asad Pathan scored 23 runs. MbPT’s Rehan Ahmed took both the wickets giving away 31 runs.
Brief scores: Mumbai Port Trust SC 132 all out, 19.1 overs (Vedprakash Jaiswal 41 (29-balls, 2×4,2×6); Drushant Soni 4 for 19, Kunal Karmchandani 2 for 10, Hitesh Kadam 2 for 32) lost to Western Railway SA 133 for 2 wickets, 12 overs (Mrunal Devdhar 66 (27-balls, 10×4,3×6), Amen Bawa 24*, Asad Pathan 23; Rehan Ahmed 2 for 31). Result: Western Railway SA won by 8 wickets.
Nirlon Sports Club 164 all out, 20 overs (Agni Chopra c M Swaminathan b D Parida 47 (32-balls, 1×4,3×6), Amogh Bhatkal 22, Sandeep Kunchikor 20; Omkar Ghule 3 for 13) lost to DTDC Express CC 165 for 3 wickets, 17.3 overs (Satyalash Jain not out 87* (52-ball, 6×4,6×6), Maxwell Swaminathan 22). Result: DTDC Express CC won by 7 wickets.