Nagpur: Lokmat produced a dominant performance as they retained the SMHRC-SJAN Inter-Press T20 Cricket Title on Sunday in Nagpur.
In the final, Lokmat thrashed Navbharat by 130 runs in a one sided clash at Vasant Nagar ground. It was Sharad Mishra who gave Lokmat a rollicking start scoring 65 runs from 30 deliveries with the help of 11 fours and a six as they posted a challenging 173 for 8 in 20 overs. Sarang Walwatkar scored 21 (17 balls) and Devendra Sadawarti contributed 20 runs (16 balls). Rahul Abhyankar and Junaid Sheikh took two wickets each.
In reply, Navbharat could not withstand the seaming deliveries from Deep Sudhakar as they succumbed to 43 all out in nine overs. Sudhakar took four wickets in the match, two in his first over, to put Navbharat on the backfoot from the start. Sadawarti then spun the web taking three wickets from two overs to fold Navbharat’s innings. Only Manish Shriwas could score in double digits (12 runs).
Vrinda Meghe, Principal Advisor, NYSS was chief guest of the prize distribution function. Dr Anup Marar, Director, DMIHER (DU) Off Campus, Amit Kumar Das, Director (Marketing), SMHRC, Shreyas Raisoni, Executive Director, Raisoni Education, Bramhashankar Tripathi, Secretary, Tilak Patrakar Bhavan Trust and President, Nagpur Union of Working Journalists, Dr Piyush Ambulkar, NMC Sports Officer, Naina Mansukhani, Amit Sampat, Vice President, SJAN, Secretary Paritosh Pramanik and Sujan Masid, convenor shared the dais.
Dr Ram Thakur and SJANmember Naresh Shelke conducted the proceedings.
Individual awards: Best batsman: Sharad Mishra (Lokmat). Best bowler: Deepak Mane (Punyanagari). Best wicketkeeper: Manish Thakre (ToI). Man of the final: Devendra Sadawarti. Man of the series: Sharad Mishra.
