Panaji: Baale Tigers scored a narrow 12-run victory over Estilo Legends to open their campaign at the Zooter Goa Super League at Panjim Gymkhana ground,here on Saturday evening.
Electing to bat first, Baale Tigers were all out for 133 runs in 18 overs with the most expensive player of the league Sayed Badi showing his mettle with a quickfire 37 runs off 20 balls, which comprised four boundaries and two maximums. Tushar Narvekar scored a run-a-ball 21 (2×4), Sunil Rathod with 19 runs and team owner Ashwin Chandiok with 14, were the other contributors.
The overall batting line-up, however, failed to produce a substantial momentum as wickets went down at regular intervals and the Baale camp would be mighty disappointed not to bat out the full complement of 20 overs. Estilo Legends skipper Saheel Dhuri (3/14) was the pick of the bowlers while Basu Madar and Dattaprasad Shirodkar took two wickets each.
In reply, Estilo Legends got off to a shaky start but the third-wicket partnership of 26 runs between Shailesh Miskin (18) and team owner Dr Sagar Salgaocar (16) consolidated to build a platform for the chase.
The Legends were in the hunt till dependable batter Chandrakant Ghadi was at the crease but the Goa Police cricketer reached 35 runs in 30 balls (3×4, 1×6) and had to make the walk back to the pavilion with his team placed at 102/7 in 17.1 overs. With the asking rate going beyond 11, the Legends found it tough to keep up and were all out for 121 in 19.2 overs. Baale’s Kiran Shirvoikar and Naresh Parsekar took two wickets each while man-of-the match Badi, Jamir Carol, Hemant Khot and Dhilan Shah picked up a wicket each.