Skipper Priyank Panchal smashed an unbeaten 99 off 69 balls as West Zone defeated North East by nine wickets in an opening round-robin league match of the Deodhar Trophy here on Monday
Priyank Panchal (Pic: PTI)
Skipper Priyank Panchal smashed an unbeaten 99 off 69 balls as West Zone defeated North East Zone by nine wickets in an opening round-robin league match of the Deodhar Trophy here on Monday.
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Panchal, normally known for his patient approach in red ball format, hit as many as seven sixes and an equal number of boundaries in West Zone's emphatic 208-run chase in just 25.1 overs.
His opening partner Harvik Desai (85 off 71 balls) was equally attacking with 14 boundaries coming off his blazing bat during the 167-run opening stand in only 21.1 overs.
While Panchal's boundaries primarily came square of the wicket, half a dozen of his seven sixes were in the arc between deep mid-wicket and long-on. The worst sufferer was left-arm spinner Imliwati Lemtur (0/47 in 4 overs), who was hit for three sixes.
However, a gritty bowling effort from West Zone bowlers played an equally important role in their victory with Nagwaswalla (3/31 in 7 overs) and seasoned Mumbai left-arm spinner Shams Mulani (2/37 in 10 overs) doing bulk of the damage. North East were all-out for 207 in just 47 overs.
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After being put into bat, North East lost opener Anup Ahlawat (6) early in the third over to pacer left-arm seamer Arzan Nagwaswalla.
Fellow opener Nilesh Lamichaney (22) and Jehu Anderson (24) added 40 runs for the second wicket before the former fell to medium-pacer Atit Sheth in the 12th over.
The incoming batters struggled to build a solid partnership and North East were left tottering at 104 for 5 by the 28th over with skipper Langlonyamba Keishangbam (30) departing to pacer Shivam Dube.
By the 36th over, the side was reeling at 144 for 7 before Larry Sangma (16) and Lemtur (38) contributed to a brief 49-run stand for the eighth wicket.
The partnership was broken by medium-pacer Chintan Gaja in the 46th, while eventually, the team was bundled for 207 by the 47th over, with Lemtur being the top scorer, having struck five fours and a six.
Brief scores:
North East 207 in 47 overs (Lemtur - 38; Nagwaswalla - 3/31) lost to West Zone 208/1 in 25.1 overs (Desai - 85, Panchal - 99*; Yong Lepcha - 1/29) by nine wickets.
(With PTI inputs)
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