CRICKET – THE Abraj Violets defeated the Abraj Rocking Royals in a thrilling match in week six of the Abraj Premier League (APL5).
In the eagerly awaited clash, Violets opted to field after winning the toss.
Determined to break the Royals’ winning streak, the Violets bowlers made an early impact, applying relentless pressure and not allowing the Royals any easy scoring chances.
Royals’ batters found themselves in trouble from the outset, with wickets falling at regular intervals. By the end of the 13th over, Royals were struggling at 78/7, their lineup rattled by the disciplined Violets attack.
However, a steady and responsible partnership between Anil Verma and Ratnesh Singh helped the Royals recover from their slump. Verma played a composed innings, scoring 37 off 31 balls, while Singh supported him with a well-paced 33 off 34 balls.
Together, they focused on singles and doubles, rebuilding the innings and guiding their team to a respectable total. Gaurav Sharma provided a quickfire scoring 16 off 10 balls to push Royals to 134/7 at the end of 20 overs.
The Violets bowlers were led by Safiyaaldin Sadiq, who took two crucial wickets, supported by Sapan Jain, Hozefa Petiwala, and Ashwani Bhatia, each claiming one wicket.
Fielding efforts were also noteworthy, with Himanshu Patel’s brilliant catch highlighting a tight defensive display.
Chasing 135, the Violets began aggressively, scoring 52/1 in the first six overs, setting a strong foundation. Contributions from the top and middle order kept the scoreboard ticking, but a series of quick wickets in the middle overs added tension to the chase.
Bhatia emerged as the hero, controlling his nerves to steer his team to victory. Bhatia, who was the top scorer with an unbeaten 30 off 19 balls, played a responsible innings when it mattered the most. He received support from Mishal Soni (19 off 15), Hari Krishna (12 off nine), Collin Dominic Dsilva (12 off 13), and Hozefa Petiwala (10 off 16), whose contributions helped Violets edge past the target with just two wickets to spare.
Ashwini Pratap led the Royals’ bowling attack, claiming two wickets, while Sagar Dholaria, Singh, and Sharma chipped in with one wicket each.
For his all-round performance, contributing with both bat and ball, Bhatia was declared the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the match.
In the second match of the week, the Abraj Daredevils faced off with the Abraj Strikers in a game where both teams’ bowlers shined.
The Strikers won the toss and chose to field, hoping to restrict Daredevils to a manageable total.
The Daredevils began cautiously, reaching 54/2 by the ninth over, but their momentum was quickly interrupted as the Strikers’ bowlers took control. A string of wickets left the Daredevils reeling at 77/7 by the 13th over, and the team struggled to form any significant partnerships thereafter. Eventually, the Daredevils were bowled out for 111 in 19 overs.
Arun C R was the star of the Strikers’ bowling attack, claiming a remarkable five-wicket haul. His disciplined and precise bowling dismantled the Daredevils’ middle and lower order. He was well-supported by Sandeep Shah, who took two wickets, while Robin Jain and Himanshu Singh chipped in with one wicket each.
Despite a modest target, the Daredevils’ bowlers came out firing, applying immediate pressure on the Strikers. Within the first seven overs, the Strikers were reduced to 23/5, struggling to keep up with the required run rate. The Daredevils’ bowling attack maintained tight lines, preventing the Strikers’ batters from finding any rhythm.
Mayank Rathod (16 off 16), Viinod Rathi (12 off 12), and Varun Sood (12 off 21) attempted to steady the chase, but with wickets falling regularly, the Strikers were unable to recover. By the end of their 20 overs, they were limited to just 86/9, falling short by a substantial 25 runs.
The Daredevils’ bowlers were exceptional in their defense of the low total. Ankit Bhutda led the way with two key wickets, while Umesh Kulkarni also claimed two crucial scalps.
Viral Desai, Dinesh Singh, Hatim Azad, and Murtuza Kothambawala each contributed with one wicket, collectively keeping the Strikers in check throughout their innings.
For his impactful all-round performance with both bat and ball, Bhutda was named the match’s MVP.
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