Assam emerged victorious in the quarterfinal clash against Kerala by 6 wickets at the IS Bindra Cricket Stadium, Mohali on Thursday, securing their place in the semifinals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Winning the toss Assam opted to field. Kerala posted a competitive total of 158/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Salman Nizar played a stellar role, remaining unbeaten at 57 off 44 balls, and Abdul Bazith contributed 54 in 42 balls. Vishnu Vinod chipped in with a quickfire 16 off 12 balls.
The Assam bowlers, led by Akash Sengupta with figures of 3/29, Mrinmoy Dutta (2/41), and Mukhtar Hussain (1/30), managed to keep the Kerala batting order in check.
Assam’s reply was nothing short of impressive as they chased down the target with 17 balls to spare. SC Ghadigaonkar was the star of the show, crafting a magnificent 75 off 50 balls. Sibsankar Roy’s brisk 42 off 22 balls and Rishav Das’s 14 off 13 balls further propelled Assam’s pursuit of victory.
For Kerala, Sijomon Joseph and Asif K M picked up crucial wickets, but they couldn’t stop Assam from reaching their target. Ghadigaokar was rightly chosen for Player of the Match honour.
With this thrilling victory, Assam advanced to the semifinals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the first time. Assam will face Baroda on November 4 in the second semifinal.
Brief Score:
Kerela: 158/6 in 20 overs (Salman Nizar not out 57 in 44 balls, Abdul Bazith 54 in 42 balls, Vishnu Vinod 16 in 12 balls; Akash Sengupta 3/29, Mrinmoy Dutta 2/41, Mukhtar Hussain 1/30)
Assam: 162/4 in 17.1 overs (SC Ghadigaonkar 75 in 50 balls, Sibsankar Roy 42 in 22 balls, Rishav Das 14 in 13 balls; Sijomon Joseph 2/17, Asif KM 1/45).