T20 Mumbai League: Shreyas, Eknath help Bandra Blasters qualify for playoffs

Blasters' Shreyas Iyer (left) and Eknath Kerkar against Panthers during the T20 Mumbai League yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

A massive unbeaten 126-run opening stand between skipper Shreyas Iyer (71 not out) and wicketkeeper-batsman Eknath Kerkar (50 not out) was good enough for NaMo Bandra Blasters to seal a comfortable 10-wicket win over North Mumbai Panthers in the T20 Mumbai League at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday. The Blasters now join Triumph Knights Mumbai North East in the playoffs which begin from today.

The openers made a mockery of the run chase and arrived at the paltry target with 8.3 overs to spare. Iyer, who was dropped by Saeed Shaikh at midwicket off pacer Sagar Jadhav on 21 in the sixth over, was relentless during his 34-ball knock that was decorated with eight boundaries and three sixes. Meanwhile, Kerkar hit four hits to the fence and three sixes in his 36-ball stay at the crease.

Earlier, North Mumbai Panthers failed to capitalise on the 41-run partnership from openers Yogesh Takawale (23) and Shrideep Mangela (14) thanks to disciplined bowling from veteran leg-break spinner Pravin Tambe (2-16), pacer Azhar Ansari (2-21), slow left-armer Karsh Kothari (2-35) and speedster Atul Singh (2-20).

Sans star India players Ajinkya Rahane, who was been ruled out of the tournament due to injury and talented youngster Prithvi Shaw, who's plying his trade in the Irani Cup, the Panthers were off to a decent start with skipper Takawale leading the attack with three boundaries and one six during his 21-ball knock. However, the dangerous-looking stand was brought to an end by Ansari, who trapped Mangela lbw. His departure swung the momentum towards the Blasters. From 41-1 in 5.1 overs, the Panthers saw themselves reeling at 76-4 at the half way mark.

Sairaj Patil tried to resurrect the innings with a quick 17-ball 26, an innings that was laced with two hits to the fence and as many sixes, but failed to receive any support from the other end.

Tambe, 46, who was exceptional on the day with his bowling, proved he how good he can be on the field as well after holding on to a brilliant catch diving forward in the midwicket region to see the end of Dinesh Salunkhe (13) off Atul Singh. "I want to show that I'm not playing only because I can bowl. I want to compete with the youngsters in the fielding department as well and that's a challenge for me. I want to be successful in all three departments," Tambe, who credited his trainer Azhar Qureshi for his fitness, told mid-day.