Asif Iqbal
Srinagar, Nov 8 (GNS): Jammu and Kashmir gave Himachal Pradesh a scare, but eventually fell short of chasing the target of 158 runs by four runs in its third match played at Reliance Stadium, Vadodara in Gujarat – in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021.
Jammu and Kashmir set to chase the target of 158, lost its top order batters one after the other as Himachal Pradesh skipper Rishi Dhawan upped the ante right to the end. After getting the wicket of Ian Dev Singh, the skipper followed it by sending Parvez Rasool to the pavilion for a naught in his very next over. It was AS Bedi who chipped in to bag the wicket of Vivrant Sharma. Shubham Pundhir followed by Henan Malik also went cheaply leaving the team tottering at 73-5 in 13 overs.
Notwithstanding the intermittent setbacks, Abdul Sammad went after the Himachal bowlers and hammered them all across the fence. While Sammad was cruising along, it again was Rishi Dhawan who had the last laugh as he got the flamboyant batter out.
In his 32-ball innings, Sammad hit 5 big sixes and a four to score 55 important runs.
Taking a cue from Sammad came in Aquib Nabi who took spinner A Vashisht to cleaners, hitting three sixes in a row, to revive the hopes of his team. The dangerously looking Aquib got out (29 balls, 1×4, 4×6) and it again was opponent skipper Rishi Dhawan.
Mujtaba Yousaf was last to go, getting out hit wicket.
Jammu and Kashmir innings ended at 153/9 in 19.5 overs, as Yudhvir Singh couldn’t take the field due to injury, thus losing to Himachal Pradesh by 4 runs.
Rishi Dhawan, pick of the bowlers, took 6 wickets, conceding just 23 runs.
Himachal Pradesh after winning the toss, decided to bat first, putting a total of 157/8 in allotted 20 overs. Raghav Dhawan scored 47 and skipper Rishi Dhawan 45 off just 26 balls for the team.
For Jammu and Kashmir, Aquib Nabi took 4 wickets besides Mujtaba Yousaf, Umran Malik and Abid Mushtaq taking one wicket apiece.
Notably Jammu and Kashmir has suffered three defeats in four matches it has played so far in the tournament.
The team, placed in Elite Group C, would be up against Jharkhand at the same venue tomorrow afternoon. (GNS)
