In a thrilling semi-final clash, Allahabad XI emerged victorious over Kanpur XI by six wickets in the Dr Gaur Hari Singhania Memorial State Veteran Cricket Tournament on Sunday. This win propels them into the tournament final, where they are set to lock horns with Bareilly on January 25.
Kanpur Sets a Competitive Target
The action unfolded at the Rashtriya Inter School Ground, where Kanpur Veterans, batting first, posted a total of 135 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. The innings was anchored by a solid knock of 59 runs from Jai, well-supported by Gopal Singh's 32. However, Allahabad's bowler Saif Ahmad proved to be a major obstacle for the Kanpur batters, claiming an impressive four wickets to restrict the scoring.
Allahabad's Chase Sealed by Key Partnerships
In response, Allahabad XI chased down the target comfortably, finishing at 139 for the loss of four wickets. Their successful pursuit was built on a strong foundation laid by openers Imroz Ali (44) and Kaushik Pal (29), who put together a 59-run partnership for the first wicket. The chase was then expertly guided to its conclusion by one-down batsman Balram Yadav, who remained not out on a crucial 38 runs off 57 balls. For Kanpur, the wicket-taking duties were shared by Bharat Awasthi and Sd Md Mushtaq, who picked up two wickets each.
Sunday League Delivers Exciting Matches
In other local cricket action from the day, the Cawnpore Sunday League witnessed four teams securing full points. Blue Warriors, Crazy Rangers, BCA Legends, and Knight Schochers all triumphed in their respective matches.
Blue Warriors defeated Metador Foam XI by 8 wickets at the PAC Ground, thanks to an unbeaten 88 from Vijay Bhan. Crazy Rangers overcame Patel Properties by 6 wickets at Kanpur South, with Ayush Pathak scoring 52. BCA Legends beat Kalawati Super Kings by a significant 68 runs at Sapru Ground, powered by Lavish Srivastava's 90 not out and Gurvindar Singh's five-wicket haul. Finally, Knight Schochers edged past Dam Charges by 3 wickets at the HAL Ground, with Rohan Saxena taking four wickets.
New Under-13 League Set to Begin
Adding to the cricketing fervor in the city, the inaugural Sunil Kumar Tiwari Memorial Under-13 Inter-Academy Cricket League is scheduled to commence on Monday at the Kanpur South Ground. The championship will be inaugurated by Sanjay Kapoor, Chairman of the Kanpur Cricket Association.
Brief Scores:
Veteran Semi-Final:
Kanpur XI: 135/9 in 20 overs (Jai 59, Gopal Singh 32; Saif Ahmad 4/29).
Allahabad XI: 139/4 in 19.4 overs (Imroz Ali 44, Balram Yadav 38*; Bharat Awasthi 2/22, Md Mushtaq 2/22).
Sunday League Results:
- Blue Warriors 216/2 beat Metador Foam XI 215/9 by 8 wickets.
- Crazy Rangers 195/4 beat Patel Properties 194/9 by 6 wickets.
- BCA Legends 202/9 beat Kalawati Super Kings 134 all out by 68 runs.
- Knight Schochers 139/7 beat Dam Charges 138 all out by 3 wickets.
