Captain’s spell from Sanchit Sharma helps Macwise Titans outplay Colatta Chocolates

By K.R. Nayar

The 49th Bukhatir League witnessed a captain’s spell instead of the usual captain’s knock at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. Macwise Titans’ captain Sanchit Sharma produced a deadly spell of four wickets for 39 runs, backed by Angad Nehru (4 for 30), to bowl out defending champions Colatta Chocolates for a paltry 145 in 25 overs and win by five wickets.

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Colatta Chocolates would have been bowled out for an even smaller total but for one-drop experienced batter Vishnu Sukumaran, who hit 51 off 35 balls with six boundaries and three sixes.

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Tale of a captain’s spell

Speaking about his Player of the Match award-winning performance, medium-pacer Sanchit Sharma — who has played in eleven One Day Internationals and five T20 Internationals for the UAE — said: “It is a nice feeling to produce such a spell against Colatta Chocolates, who have won the Bukhatir League for the last two years. To carry the responsibility on my shoulders as captain and ensure an impressive win makes it special.”

Sanchit Sharma receives the Player of the Match award from match referee Tehseen Javed

Sharma feels that this win will lift the spirits of his team. “This is a young team, with most of them not having played even an A Division tournament. Being a young team, this victory will be a big boost for the future,” said Sharma, who hails from Haryana but has grown up in the UAE since the age of five.

Twenty-three-year-old Sharma has produced many four-wicket spells in UAE’s domestic cricket. “To bag four wickets in the Bukhatir League is special. I have also bagged four wickets in the D50 tournament, but I’m looking forward to a five-wicket spell,” said Sharma, who has come up the ranks representing the UAE Under-19 team.

On Friday, Sharma began his spell after winning the toss by removing Chocolates’ skipper and opener Junaid Shamsu with the second ball of the match — caught by Adithya Shetty for a duck. Vishnu Sukumaran and opener Israr Ahmad put on 55 runs for the second wicket before Sharma struck again, having Israr caught by Sailles Jaishankar for 15.

Points table: Group A topper will be decided after Saturday's CSS vs GHK Properties match

Sukumaran batted fluently, hitting Sharma for a six in the third over and Jaishankar for two consecutive boundaries in the fourth over. He struck another six off Sharma in the ninth over and one off Rahul Bhatia in the 10th to reach his half-century in 32 balls. Off-spinner Nehru ended Sukumaran’s fine knock of 51 by having him caught by Adithya Shetty with the first ball of the 11th over. With the last ball of the same over, Nehru got Sohaib Khan caught behind by wicketkeeper Vaibhav Vaswani for 5. To make matters worse, Akshay Puthanveetil was run out by a throw from Sanchit Sharma for 5, leaving half the side back in the pavilion for just 93.

Rahul Bhatia then got Sreenath K caught behind for 10 with the score on 105. At 107, Syam Remesh became another Nehru victim, clean bowled for a duck. Nehru also clean bowled Jinish Shaji for 13. Sharma returned and got Zain caught behind for 14 and then trapped Vimalnadh leg-before for the third duck of the innings. Chocolates were bowled out for 145.

Chasing the modest target, openers Aaryan Madani and Vaibhav Vaswani provided a solid start, putting on 67 runs in just 10.5 overs. Syam Remesh ended the partnership by getting Madani caught by Jinish Shaji for 31. His 41-ball knock included six boundaries. Soon after, Vaswani was bowled by Sabir CH for 27. Next batter Syed Makhdoom also fell to Remesh, caught by Akshay for 4.

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Raunak Vaswani and Sahil Hariani steered the total past the 100-run mark in the 21st over. In the 24th over, Vaswani hit Vimalnadh for a six before becoming Remesh’s third victim — clean bowled for 24. Vaswani and Sahil had put on 46 runs for the fourth wicket. With only 18 runs needed to win, Sahil — who hit a sedate 25 off 55 balls with five boundaries — took the total to within seven runs of the target before being caught by Remesh off Junaid Shamsu.

Rahul Bhatia hit the winning boundary off Shamsu to remain unbeaten on 5, with Adithya Shetty not out on 2, ensuring their team a five-wicket win in 29.1 overs.

Brief scores:
Macwise Titans bt Colatta Chocolates by 5 wkts. Colatta Chocolates 145 in 25 overs (Vishnu Sukumaran 51, Sanchit Sharma 4 for 39, Angad Nehru 4 for 30) Macwise Titans 149 in 29.1 overs (Aaryan Madani 31, Vaibhav Vaswani 27, Sahil Hariani 25, Raunak Vaswani 24. Syam Remesh 3 for 11)
Player of the Match: Sanchit Sharma