Wednesday 24 / April / 2024
Muscat: Jatinder Singh’s superb 71 and Badal Singh’s four-wicket spell steered Muscat CT to a thrilling two-wicket win over Enhance CT in the first match of the Premier Division at the Ministry of Sports Ground I on Saturday.
Jatinder was involved in a crucial 89-run fifth-wicket partnership with skipper Vaibhav Wategaokar, who started the season with a stylish 50 off 70 balls. The duo stabilised the Muscat innings after Enhance had reduced them to 57 for three in 12.1 overs. Jatinder’s 86-ball innings included four fours and three sixes.
With wickets tumbling at regular intervals, Sandeep Goud held his nerves to script a solid 33 off 56 balls to bring Muscat closer to victory. In the end it took Rajesh Runpura just one ball to strike a boundary and secure an exciting first win for his side. Mehran Khan, Nester Dhamba and Sanuth Mohammed Ibrahim all claimed two wickets apiece.
Earlier, opener Khawar Ali led the batting honours for Enhance with a fighting 41 off 58 balls, five of them going to the fence. He was involved in a solid fourth-wicket partnership with young Wasim Ali who scored a subdued 27 in his Premier League debut.
Mehran Khan played a typical cameo of 37 studded with three sixes. Nestor Dhamba (38 off 42) and Ibrahim Kutty (31 off 38) played gutsy knocks to take Enhance to a respectable total despite Badal Singh’s heroics with the ball.
Muscat bowlers were guilty of conceding 17 extras, 12 of them being wide balls. Enhance did not lag behind, conceding 16 extras including 4 wides and 4 no balls.
Brief scores: Enhance 221 for 9 in 50 overs (Khawar Ali 41 , Mehran Khan 37, Nester Dhamba 35, Ibrahim Kutty Abdullah 31, Wasim Ali 27; Badal Singh 4/25, Munis Ansari 2/34, Ayaan Khan 2/60) lost to Muscat CT 225 for 8 in 48.4 overs (Jatinder Singh 71, VaibhavWategaonkar 50 , Sandeep Goud 33; Mehran Khan 2/15, Nester Dhamba 2/51).
