– Dehradun witnessed non-stop drama on triple-header Monday as Tehri Titans and Nainital Tigers registered thrilling victories in the first two matches
– In the afternoon clash, the Nainital Tigers claimed a four-wicket win, their second win in a row this season
September : The men’s competition of the Uttarakhand Premier League continued into its third day at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium with non-stop drama as Tehri Titans and Nainital Tigers registered thrilling victories in the first two matches.
*Match 1: USN Indians vs Tehri Titans*
In the morning clash, which was reduced to just five overs per side due to rain, Tehri Titans stand-in captain Vijay Sharma produced a match-winning blitz to guide his team to a thrilling six-wicket victory over USN Indians.
After choosing to bat, the USN Indians scored quickly in the shortened game as they posted a competitive 56/3. Their innings was powered by Abhishek Dafouti, who struck a brisk 23 off 11 balls (3 fours, 1 six), accounting for the bulk of the runs. Skipper Avneesh Sudha held the innings together with an unbeaten 13 off 7 deliveries, ensuring stability in the closing stages.
The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method revised the Titans’ target to 65, demanding aggressive intent from the outset. Their skipper, Vijay Sharma, delivered precisely that. He unleashed a stunning exhibition of clean hitting, smashing 29 runs from just 10 balls at an attacking strike rate of 290. His early onslaught effectively killed the contest, swinging the momentum decisively in the Titans’ favour.
Though USN Indians fought back through their bowlers Bhavya Raina (2/15) and Rajan Kumar (1/13), who applied late pressure with crucial wickets, the damage had been done. The USN Indians also gave away 12 extra runs, which hurt their defence.
*Match 2: Pithoragarh Hurricanes vs Nainital Tigers*
In the afternoon clash, the Nainital Tigers claimed a four-wicket win, their second win in a row this season.
The Pithoragarh Hurricanes posted 142/8 after winning the toss against the Nainital Tigers. The innings was anchored by opener Piyush Joshi’s solid 67 off 43, which rescued the Hurricanes after his opening partner Tushar Nautiyal’s early dismissal for 1.
Joshi built a crucial 82-run partnership with No.3 batter Prashant Chopra, combining strike rotation with timely boundaries. However, Chopra’s dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse, as the Hurricanes began losing wickets in quick succession. They crumbled under pressure, losing five wickets for just 16 runs in the final five overs, including three in the last over alone.
Nainital Tigers bowling effort was led by Vishal Saini (2/38) and Sangam Bajpai (2/21), both finishing with two wickets.
Chasing 143, the Nainital Tigers got off to a shaky start as they lost three wickets early, finishing their power play on 41/3. Opener Aarav Mahajan looked promising but failed to convert his brisk knock into a big one, falling for a 17-ball 24.
However, timely contributions from the middle order kept the run rate under control, ensuring their side stayed in the hunt. Skipper Bhupen Lalwani played a crucial innings, scoring 33 off 29 balls, before Dikshanshu Negi took charge, guiding his team over the line with a match-winning unbeaten 35 off 21 balls (4 fours, 1 six), guiding his side to victory with only three balls to spare.
