Jeevan Gangadharan’s heroic unbeaten 97 for Ajman Heroes goes in vain as Seven Districts pull off a five-runs win while Abhinand Maladath’s invaluable half century gives CSS Group a six-wicket win over Z Game Strikers

By K.R. Nayar

Ajman Heroes’ Jeevan Gangadharan cracked an unbeaten 97 but his heroic knock went in vain as Seven Districts pulled off an exciting five-runs win in the 13th match of the 34th Sharjah Ramadan Cup T20 tournament at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Seven Districts had posted 170 for 6 in 20 overs through Muhammad Irfan’s knock of 52. Ajman Heroes chased the target bravely with Jeevan Gangadharan’s knock that came off 56 balls with six boundaries and six sixes; however they were restricted to 165 for 6 in 20 overs.

 

In the 14th match, CSS Group’s Abhinand Maladath scored an invaluable 55 runs to steer his team past Z Game Strikers’ total of 129 in 19.5 overs. Maladath’s knock, which came off 34 balls, had three boundaries and four sixes. This ensured CSS Group a six-wicket win in 16.2 overs.

Jeevan Gangadharan’s unbeaten 97 in vain

 

Ajman Heroes won the toss and elected to field. Seven Districts openers Muhammad Irfan and Junaid Khan Afrifi put on 66 runs in 7.2 overs.  Nasir Aziz provided the breakthrough by removing Junaid Khan Afrifi for 34.  One-drop Raees Ahmad too got out clean bowled by Nasir Aziz for 8 after taking the score to 82. Five runs later, Muhammad Moshin got out to Harshit Kaushik for 4. At the same score of 87, Muhammad Haider got run out for a duck.

 

Muhammad Saghir Khan and opener Muhammad Irfan steered the total past the 100 run mark. At the score on 124, Muhammad Saghir Khan got out to Faisal Baig for 23. Two runs later, Muhammad Irfan got bowled by Sameer Chand. His knock off 48 balls had six boundaries. Atta Ur Rahim through an unbeaten 37 and Farhan Khan (7n.o) swelled the score to 170 for 6 in 20 overs.

 

Chasing the target, Ajman Heroes lost their star batsman Khalid Shah to the fifth ball of the first over, clean bowled by Haider Ali for 6. At the score of 10, skipper and opener Adnan Ul Mulk too got bowled by Haider Ali for 2. Six runs later, Mohammad Ajmal got clean bowled to Vikum Sanjay Banadara for 5. Another star batsman Sagar Kalyam too got out to Farhan Khan for 3.

 

Half the side was back in the dug-out for just 21 runs when Faisal Baig too fell to Farhan Khan for 3. Rahul Chopra and Jeevan Gangadharan then put on a fighting 106 runs partnership. When it looked like the pair would take Ajman to victory, Chopra got out to Muhammad Saghir Khan for 44. His knock off 29 balls had three boundaries and two sixes.

 

Jeevan Gangadharan almost pulled off a victory scoring an unbeaten 97 with Harshit Kaushik (2n.o) adding another unbeaten 39 runs for the seventh wicket. It was a thrilling last over finish with Jeevan Gangadharan hitting 22 runs from the over that included three fours and two sixes, but his team lost by five runs after being restricted to 165 for 6 in 20 overs.

 

Brief scores:
Seven Districts bt Ajman Heroes by 5 runs. Seven Districts 170 for 6 in 20 overs (Muhammad Ifran 52, Junaid Khan Afrifi 34, Muhammad Saghir Khan 23, Atta Ur Rahim 37n.o, Nasir Aziz 2 for 26) Ajman Heroes 165 for 6 in 20 overs (Rahul Chopra 44, Jeevan Gangadharan 97n.o, Haider Ali 2 for 32, Farhan Khan 2 for 17)
Player of the Match: Jeevan Gangadharan

 

Abhinand Maladath’s timely half century spurs CSS Group

 

In the 14th match, Z Game Strikers won the toss and elected to bat. They lost their star batsman Ronak Panoly to the fifth ball of the first over to Farzeen Ahmed for 5. One-drop Fahad Nawaz too got clean bowled to Farzeen Ahmed for 5.  Z Game Strikers was struggling at 20 for 3 when opener and captain Shahrukh Muhammad Amin got out to Gihan Chathuranga for 7. Ahaan Fernandes took the score to 47 but he fell to Vimalnadh for 13.  When Sardar Bahazad too got out to Jishnu Sunil Kumar for 11, Z Game Strikers lost half their side for 67 in 10.3 overs.

 

Wickets continued to fall as Glenn Warren Fernandes got out to Vimalnadh for 15. Shahbaz Ali pulled the score to six runs short of the 100 run mark when he got trapped leg before to Jishnu Sunil Kumar for 16. Nadir Hussain got caught behind by wicketkeeper Abhinand Maladath off Vishnuraj for 11. Soon Adithya Shetty too became a Vishnuraj victim for 4.  Mubeen Ali Malik got run out for a duck but Nilansh Keswani top scored with an unbeaten 27. Z Game Strikers thus got bowled out for 129 in 19.5 overs.

 

Though CSS Group began their chase shakily when they lost opener Zohaib, clean bowled by Nilansh Keswani for 6, the rest of the batsmen batted intelligently. Abhinand Maladath and Fazal Oasis put on 63 runs for the second wicket before Oasis got out to Adithya Shetty for 21. One run later, Abhiram Hrithwik fell leg before to Glenn Warren Fernandes for a duck.

 

Opener Abhinand Maladath took the score to five runs short of the 100 run mark through a fine knock of 55 before falling to Adithya Shetty. Next man Vishnuraj hit a responsible unbeaten 32 runs backed by Jishnu Sunil Kumar (15n.o) and took their team to the target in 16.2 overs.

Brief scores:
CSS Group bt Z Game Strikers by 6 wkts. Z Game Strikers 129 in 19.5 overs (Nilansh Keswani 27n.o, Farzeen Ahmed 2 for 20, Vishnuraj 2 for 30, Vimalnadh 2 for 19, Jishnu Sunil Kumar 2 for 30) CSS Group 133 for 4 in 16.2 overs (Abhinand Maladath 55, Fazal Oasis 21, Vishnuraj 32n.o, Adithya Shetty 2 for 19)

Player of the Match: Abhinand Maladath