Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Cricket: Tripura suffer 44-run defeat against Tamil Nadu in opener
Tripura’s campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 cricket tournament began on a dismal note as they suffered a 44-run defeat against a dominant Tamil Nadu side at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. Chasing a daunting target of 234 runs, Tripura could only muster 191 runs in their allotted 20 overs.
Tamil Nadu, boasting a star-studded lineup, entered the game as overwhelming favorites. The question was how valiantly Tripura’s players could respond, and while they showed glimpses of promise, it was not enough to topple the southern giants. Among the notable performances, Rajat Dey, a player controversially left out of the Ranji Trophy squad, made a strong case for himself with a spirited knock.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Tamil Nadu showcased their batting firepower, amassing a formidable 234 for 5 in 20 overs. Despite an early setback with the dismissal of Sai Sudharsan, the opening duo of B Indrajith and N Jagadeesan steadied the innings and propelled their team toward a massive total.
Indrajith was the standout performer, smashing 78 off just 39 balls, which included 5 fours and 5 towering sixes. Jagadeesan supported him well with a brisk 50 off 30 balls, adorned with 6 fours and 2 sixes. The pair forged a 115-run partnership off 57 balls, laying a solid foundation.
In the death overs, skipper Shahrukh Khan (31 off 18 balls) and Vijay Shankar (38 off 17 balls) unleashed a flurry of boundaries, taking Tamil Nadu past the 200-run mark. Their explosive cameos included a combined tally of 5 fours and 5 sixes, leaving Tripura’s bowlers with little respite. Among the Tripura bowlers, Manishankar Murasingh and Ajay Sarkar each picked up two wickets, though they proved expensive, conceding 34 and 55 runs respectively.
Faced with a herculean target, Tripura began their innings with aggression. Opener Sridam Pal got the team off to a flying start, smashing 35 off 20 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes, keeping the required run rate within reach during the early overs. However, the loss of wickets at regular intervals derailed their chase.
Middle-order batters Rajat Dey and Manishankar Murasingh attempted to revive the innings with counter-attacking knocks. Rajat scored a valiant 38 off 24 balls, featuring 3 fours and 2 sixes, while Manishankar added a quickfire 37 off just 16 balls, peppered with 4 fours and 2 sixes. Wicket-keeper Sharath chipped in with a patient 24 off 26 balls, but the mounting run rate and disciplined bowling from Tamil Nadu proved too much for Tripura.
Tamil Nadu’s bowlers delivered a clinical performance. Vijay Shankar was impressive with figures of 2 for 19, while R Sai Kishore, M Siddharth, and Gurjapneet Singh all chipped in with two wickets each to restrict Tripura to 191 for 9.
Tripura will look to bounce back when they face another formidable opponent, Karnataka, on November 25.
(Tripura, Northeast)
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