Maharaja Trophy T20: Shekhawat shines as Gulbarga Mystics, Mangaluru Dragons share spoils

Bengaluru, Aug 21 (IANS) Mangaluru Dragons shared points with the Gulbarga Mystics in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 league at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Tuesday night. Chasing Gulbarga’s 169/10, Mangaluru Dragons’ innings was interrupted by rain. Consequentially, the match was abandoned with both teams awarded one point each.

Earlier, Prithviraj Shekhawat’s (54) blinder saw him power his way to a quickfire half-century that took the Gulbarga Mystics to 169 all out. Devdutt Padikkal and Luvnith Sisodia also registered significant contributions. Meanwhile, Paras Gurbax Arya was the pick of the Mangaluru bowling attack with figures of 3-24.

Batting second, Mangaluru Dragons’ Macneil Noronha had set the tone for a successful chase with a rapid unbeaten 33, featuring three sixes and three fours, alongside Rohan Patil (11 not out). However, rain intervened after 4.3 overs, leaving the match with no result.

In the first innings, the Gulbarga Mystics’ Power-play ebbed and flowed; Abhilash Shetty steamed in to register two maidens in his first two overs. After a 15-ball lull that only earned him one run, Luvnith Sisodia (39) took down Macneil Noronha for two fours and a six in the fourth over.

Meanwhile, Devdutt Padikkal (30) displayed his intent from the get-go, putting on 19 runs in nine balls to place Gulbarga at 49/0 by the end of the Power-play. In the seventh, Padikkal hoisted Shreyas Gopal down the ground for his second six but perished to the Mangaluru Dragons skipper in the same over. Shreyas Gopal would also see the end of Sisodia to leave Gulbarga at 73/2 in 10.1 overs.

Smaran R. (2) and Aneesh K.V (7) fell quickly, scalped by Lankesh and Paras Gurbax Arya respectively. Wahid Faizan Khan (19) and Prithviraj Shekhawat (54) rejuvenated the innings, building a 34-run partnership in only 17 balls.

Shekhawat was in fine form as he pummelled Paras Gurbax Arya for a boundary and two consecutive sixes in the 16th over. Wahid Faizan Khan (19) was removed from the equation in the next over leaving the score at 119/5 in 16.4 overs. Shekhawat would go on to dismantle Abhilash Shetty’s figures, swatting the pacer for two maximums and two boundaries in the 18th.

Paras Gurbax Arya bounced back in the penultimate over to pick up Pravin Dubey (2) and Ritesh Bhatkal (0) in consecutive balls. Shekhawat brought up his half-century in the 20th over, an 18-ball endeavour that saw six sixes and three fours before he was dismissed for obstructing the field. The Mangaluru Dragons bundled up on the last ball to finish at 169 all out.

Brief scores:

Gulbarga Mystics 169 all out (Luvnith Sisodia 39, Devdutt Padikkal 30, Prithviraj Shekhawat 54; Paras Gurbax 3-24, Shreyas Gopal 2-19) vs Mangaluru Dragons 46 for no loss in 4.3 overs (Macneil Noronha 33 not out, Rohan Patil 11 not out). No result. The match was abandoned due to rain.

–IANS

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