Panaji: RC Goa and Priority Titans scored important victory each in their respective outings in the 3rd Panjim Gymkhana Members League T20 tournament at Panjim Gymkhana ground on Friday.
RC Goa rode on a fantastic all-round show by their skipper and Man of the Match, Harshad Gadekar (2/13 & 40 not out) to shock leaders Desserts N’More Avengers by five wickets and move into the fourth position in the table. Earlier, Priority Titans tasted their first victory of the league in their fourth match, against Baale Tigers, who suffered their fourth loss and are now out of contention of the qualifiers.
The pick of the contest of the Republic Day action was the clash of Desserts N’More Avengers and RC Goa, who had suffered two losses and won one game in three previous outings.
Needing to win today to keep their qualification chances in their own hands, RC Goa faced a daunting task with the Avengers being on a winning streak of two games.
Electing to bat first, Desserts N’More Avengers posted a challenging total of 152 all out in 20 overs. The consistent pair of Saif Ali Karajgi with 40 runs (2×4, 2×6) and captain Sameer Chodankar with 35 runs (4×4, 1×6) were once again the main run-getters for the Avengers. Sameer also became the Orange Cap recipient taking his aggregate to 158 runs.
In reply, RC Goa were off to a sluggish start and required nearly 10 runs an over from the half-way stage. Devidas Kholkar (32) and Mithun Goverkar (28) batted with responsibility while setting the foundation before Swayam Naik (28 runs in 21 balls) induced the much-needed urgency. With 30 runs required off the last two overs, Harshad Gadekar launched a blistering flurry of sixers, hitting three consecutive maximums in the second-last over before finishing the job 153/5 on the third ball of the last over with his fifth six of his 14-ball knock to send his team-mates into an ecstacy.
Earlier in the day, Priority Titans won the toss and batted first to post a huge total of 171/9. Man of the Match, Vedant Naik stroked three boundaries and a sixer to score 40 runs off 27 balls and briefly wear the Orange Cap (aggregate 131).
Captain Mukhtar Kadri (38 off 21 balls with 3 boundaries and 2 sixes) and Om Fadte (35 off 22 balls including 6 boundaries) provided healthy contributions with the bat.
In reply, Baale Tigers could manage 156/8 as they were pegged back at regular intervals and failed to generate the momentum for a successful chase. Amlon D’Souza hit four boundaries and two sixes in his 20-ball 37 but Baale innings lacked handy runs down the order to take the fight to the opposition. Sachin Sardessai scored 35 runs off 29 balls. Priority bowlers put in an improved show with Buddhadev Mangaldas and Mrunmay Das leading the charge with two wickets each.
Bikash Basumatary, DGM of SBI; and Sandeep Naik were the guests at the presentation ceremony and gave the man of the match award and Orange cap.
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