The Abraj SuperGiants defeated the Abraj Violets by 10 runs during their week two clash in the Abraj Premier League (APL5).
After a competitive opening round of contests, both teams were eager to secure a win in this nail-biting encounter.
The SuperGiants had an explosive start to their innings, scoring 22 runs in the first two overs. However, their momentum quickly shifted as the Violets’ bowlers tightened their grip. By the end of the 10th over, the SuperGiants found themselves struggling at 62/7, courtesy of stellar bowling performances from Ashwini Bhatia, Mukesh Kumar, Hozefa Petiwala, and Mishal Soni. They managed to restrict the SuperGiants to a modest total of 93 runs in just 17 overs, as the team failed to bat out the full 20 overs.
In the batting department, the SuperGiants’ Anthony Panvalkar (17 off nine), Sanito Dsilva (12 off nine), and Tarun Parihar (17 off 10) were the only notable contributors. For the Violets, Ashwini Bhatia, Hozefa Petiwala, and Mukesh Kumar each claimed two wickets, with Hari Krishna, Mishal Soni, and Rahul Dantkale chipping in with one wicket each.
Chasing a target of 94, the Violets also started well, scoring 15 runs in the first over, thanks to Deepesh Madan’s aggressive approach. However, their joy was short-lived as they lost six wickets in the next four overs, adding only 12 runs during that period. Dsilva, the SuperGiants captain, led from the front, taking four crucial wickets in his three overs and Vivek Mandowara supported his captain and took three crucial wickets with one maiden over, causing the Violets’ collapse.
Despite a late fightback, the Violets could only manage 74/9 by the end of 17 overs. With 20 runs required from the final three overs, the SuperGiants held their nerves and won the match.
Dsilva was declared the game’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his outstanding all-round performance.
Meanwhile, the Abraj Rocking Royals claimed an emphatic victory over the Abraj Daredevils in another encounter of the second week.
After winning the toss and opting to field, the Royals immediately put the Daredevils under immense pressure, reducing them to 14/5 within the first three overs. Despite this, standout performances from Viral Desai (16 off 15), Stany Fernandes (28 off 26), and Ankit Bhutda (34 off 22) helped the Daredevils recover slightly, posting a total of 118 runs in 18.1 overs.
The Royals’ bowlers were exceptional, led by Sagar Dholaria, who took four wickets, and Anil Verma, who picked up three.
Chasing 119, the Rocking Royals started steadily, scoring 18 runs in the first three overs but lost four quick wickets for 30-odd runs. Despite the setback, the middle order held firm. Ashwini Partap (16 off seven), Bhavin Deliwala (11 off 10), and Dholaria (13 off 10) guided their team home with ease, reaching 121/5 in just 15.4 overs.
Kishor Pisal, Umesh Kulkarni, and Hatim Azad each took a wicket for the Daredevils, but the rest of their bowling attack – including their key bowlers – went wicketless.
Deliwala showcased his exceptional wicket-keeping skills by taking six impressive catches behind the stumps. Dholaria was named the match’s MVP for his all-round performance.
&uuid=(email))