Air India beat Indian Oil Corporation by three wickets in a low-scoring thriller; will face State Bank of Hyderabad in the final.
Air India, the team that looked best through out the BCCI Corporate Trophy, almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on Tuesday. However, Dhawal Kulkarni and Ajit Chandila held on to their nerves and added 54 runs for the eighth wicket as the airmen beat Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) by three wickets to book their place in Thursday’s final, where they will face State Bank of Hyderabad.
Chasing a modest total of 185, AI were reduced to 113 for four and things only got worse as they lost three more wickets between the 25th and 32nd over adding just 20 runs. Needing 53 runs for victory with three wickets in hand, Kulkarni and Chandila started rebuilding the innings for their team.
Both batsmen scored sensibly and took easy singles rather than going after the ball and took their team home with an unbeaten 54-run eighth wicket partnership.
Kulkarni made an unbeaten 25 off 42 balls, while Chandila scored 26 off 45 balls to successfully chase the total with 16 balls remaining.
Earlier, left-arm medium pacer Pradeep Sangwan set the foundation for his team’s victory as he knocked over the IOC batsmen with ease after the airmen elected to bowl first at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The Delhi bowler picked up five wickets for 29 runs and restricted IOC to 185.
In reply, Air India batsmen made heavy weather of the modest chase and turned a seemingly one-sided game into a thriller. IOC bowlers, led by Rajesh Pawar, took a leaf out of their opponent’s bowling performance and rattled the experienced AI line-up.
Valthaty and skipper Hrishikesh Kanitkar added 51 runs for the second wicket but Pawar soon induced them into edging the ball as opener Valthaty gifted his wicket caught in the covers. Thereafter, wickets started falling in quick succession. Kaif lasted just nine deliveries, while Kanitkar (41) departed within the next three overs.
In the morning, IOC had got off to a decent start after their openers Pinal Shah and Paresh Patel added 43 runs for the opening wicket, before Chandila broke the partnership scalping Patel for 24.
From there on, Sangwan took over as IOC were reduced to 105 for eight. Amit Dani played a gritty knock to take his team past the 150-run mark.
Brief scores: IOC 185 in 45.3 overs (A Dani 50; P Sangwan 5/29) lost to Air India 187/7 in 47.2 overs (P Valthaty 46, H Kanitkar 41; R Pawar 3/35)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=tracking}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}