These days the action of Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy is going on in India. Many excellent matches are being seen continuously, where the match is being decided on the last balls. Many batsmen are scoring stormy centuries while some bowlers are taking hat-trick or 5 wickets. Some unknown players are earning accolades with their small but match-changing contributions. The match between Goa and Maharashtra also ended in a similar fashion, where Goa defeated its stronger team in a thrilling manner in the last over. When victory was looking difficult, a Goa player did wonders in the last over. Besides, the mistake of the young bowler from Maharashtra also cost his team heavily.
In this match played in Hyderabad on Tuesday 3rd December, Maharashtra batted first. The team captained by star batsman Rituraj Gaikwad scored a strong score of 193 runs after losing 6 wickets in 20 overs. For Maharashtra, opener Arshin Kulkarni scored 44 runs in just 28 balls and made an excellent partnership of 97 runs with fellow opener Ankit Bawne. Bawne played an inning of 51 runs. Apart from these, Nikhil Nayak also scored 40 runs quickly. The Goa team entered this match without fast bowler Arjun Tendulkar, for whom the start of the season has not been good. Arjun could not play for the second consecutive match.
Talking about batting, Goa had a bad start and lost 2 wickets in the first over itself, while the team's account was not even opened. Despite this, Suyyash Prabhudesai and Ajaan Thota showed aggressive attitude. Suyyash played a strong innings and scored a half-century and took the team closer to the target. He was out at the score of 173 after scoring 66 runs. At such a time, Vikas Singh came to the crease and started hitting quick shots. Then came the last over, in which Goa needed 16 runs to win. Only left handed batsman Vikas Singh was on strike. Young all-rounder Arshin Kulkarni was appointed for bowling.
Victory for Goa!
What a chase!
4⃣,4⃣,6⃣, WD, WD
Vikas Singh plays a brilliant knock of 31*(9) as Goa chase down 16 in the last over
Suyash Prabhudessai set the platform with a power-packed 66(45)
#SMAT , @IDFCFIRSTBank
score card
https://t.co/kgnnhamv2L pic.twitter.com/4kzTiGTddV
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIDomestic) December 3, 2024
Arshin had already proved expensive and had given away 33 runs in 3 overs. Still Captain Ruturaj expressed confidence in him. But this time this trust did not work. Arshin started with 2 consecutive full tosses and hit fours on both. The next ball was overpitched and Vikas wrapped it and sent it for a six. Now victory seemed certain because only 2 runs were needed from 3 balls. But Vikas did not need to play a single shot because Arshin gave Goa victory by bowling two consecutive wide balls. Vikas scored 31 runs in just 9 balls.
