Rinku stars as UP hammer Chandigarh by 227 runs
T20 World Cup-bound India star Rinku Singh continued his prolific run with a blistering century, while Aryan Juyal also struck a hundred as Uttar Pradesh cruised to a commanding 227-run victory over Chandigarh in their Vijay Hazare Group B match on Friday.
Rinku smashed an unbeaten 106 off 60 balls, while Juyal anchored the innings with a composed 134 off 118 deliveries and wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel chipped in with a brisk 67 off 57 balls as Uttar Pradesh piled up a formidable 367 for four. The bowlers then ensured there was no contest. Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari (4/29) once again starred with the ball, claiming his second successive four-wicket haul of the tournament, as Chandigarh were bundled out for 140 in 29.3 overs.
Fellow spinners Vipraj Nigam (2/35) and Prashant Veer (1/11) provided able support as Uttar Pradesh completed a comprehensive all-round performance. Earlier, after opener Abhishek Goswami returned to the hut in the third over, Juyal and Jurel rebuilt the innings with a measured
96-run partnership for the second wicket, laying a solid platform. Juyal paced his knock judiciously but at the same time clobbered eight sixes and seven fours. Batting at No. 5, Rinku, who had scored a half-century in the previous game, provided the late flourish, striking 10 fours and four sixes.
He first stitched a crucial partnership with Juyal before joining forces with Chennai Super Kings’ latest recruit Prashant Veer, with the duo adding 63 runs off just 35 balls to push Uttar Pradesh well beyond the 350 mark. The performance augers well for India as he has been chosen as the designated finisher in the T20 squad.
Limbani picks fifer as Baroda beat Bengal
Medium pacer Raj Limbani claimed a five-wicket haul as Baroda thrashed Bengal by four wickets in their Group B match. Limbani made full use of Baroda’s decision to bowl first, ripping through the Bengal batting line-up to account for half the side. His victims included skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran, top scorer Anustup Majumdar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akash Deep and Mohammed Shami as Bengal were bowled out for 205 in 38.3 overs. Skipper Krunal Pandya (3/39) provided strong support, picking up three wickets.
Chasing a modest target, Baroda never looked in trouble. Shashwat Rawat (61), Priyanshu Moliya (52) and Pandya (57) struck composed half-centuries to guide their side to a comfortable victory with more than 11 overs to spare. In other Group B matches, a century from Yawer Hassan (138) and a five-wicket haul by spinner Murugan Ashwin (5/34) powered Jammu and Kashmir to a commanding 142-run victory over Assam. Meanwhile, Vidarbha registered their first win of the season with an emphatic 89-run triumph over Hyderabad.
Brief scores:
Uttar Pradesh: 367 for4 in 50 overs (Aryan Juyal 134, Rinku Singh 106 not out; Taranpreet Sigh 2/74) defeated Chandigarh 140 all out in 29.3 overs (Manan Vohra 32; Zeeshan Ansar 4/29) by 227 runs.
Bengal: 205 all out in 38.3 overs (Anustup Majumdar 47, Karan Lal 40; Raj Limbai 5/65 ) lost to Baroda 209 for 6 in 38.5 overs (Shashwat Rawat 61, Krunal Pandya 57, Aamir Gani 2/33) by 4 wickets.
