Vijay Hazare Trophy: Delhi Finish Dismal Fifth In Group Stage; Saurashtra, Uttar Pradesh Qualify For Knockouts
Vijay Hazare Trophy: Delhi couldn't prevent another loss, crashing to a four-wicket defeat against Saurashtra. Saurashtra and Uttar Pradesh have progressed to the knockouts.
Delhi's dismal show in the domestic season continued as they finished a dreadful fifth among six teams after losing to Saurashtra by four wickets in their last group C league match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Tuesday. Saurashtra by virtue of being group toppers with an all-win record and 20 points qualified for the quarter-finals with second-placed Uttar Pradesh, who finished on 12 points with three wins out of five matches. Delhi again batted first and laboured their way to 201 for 8, which was also possible because of useful knocks from Anuj Rawat (45 off 57 balls) and skipper Pradeep Sangwan (34 off 43 balls).
Jaydev Unadkat (2/26) and Chetan Sakariya (2/29) kept things tight while all-rounders Chirag Jani and Prerak Mankad also got a wicket apiece.
In reply, Saurashtra scored the runs losing six wickets in 38.1 overs with Mankad smashing 73 off 63 balls and this is his second half-century in two back-to-back games.
With IPL teams looking for seam-bowling all-rounders, who could also be finishers, Mankad might interest franchises at the auction.
Delhi has now been knocked out of two white ball national competitions before reaching the knockout stage and it is there to be seen as to what kind of measures Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) takes for ensuring an improved show in the blue riband Ranji Trophy tournament.
In another match, former KKR left-hander Rinku Singh (75) and pacer Ankit Rajpoot (5/33) were the star performers for Uttar Pradesh in their comprehensive 78-run win over Haryana to finish second in the group.
UP scored 245/9 and save Rinku, none of the others reached 50-run mark. For Haryana, India seamer Harshal Patel (3/56) and veteran Mohit Sharma (2 wickets) were the main wicket-takers.
Patel also smashed 67 off 61 balls with six sixes but the rest of the batters didn't perform up to the mark and were all out for 167 in 38.5 overs.
In another match, seasoned bowlers Varun Aaron and Shahbaz Nadeem too three wickets apiece as Jharkhand beat Hyderabad by 36 runs in an inconsequential group league game.
Brief Scores
UP 245/9 (Rinku Singh 75, Harshal Patel 3/56). Haryana 167 in 38.5 overs (Harshal Patel 67, Ankit Rajpoot 5/33). UP won by 78 runs.
Delhi 201/8 (Anuj Rawat 45, Jaydev Unadkat 2/26). Saurashtra 204/6 (Prerak Mankad 73, Mayank Yadav 3/57). Saurashtra won by 4 wickets.
Jharkhand 276 (Virat Singh 65, Chama Milind 6/63). Hyderabad 240 (Varun Aaron 3/50, Shahbaz Nadeem 3/32). Jharkhand won by 36 runs.