After consecutive defeats, Tripura Cricket team celebrated an emphatic win in their fifth match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 cricket tournament, defeating Uttarakhand by eight wickets on Sunday. The match, held at Holkar Stadium in Indore, saw Tripura chase down a target of 150 runs with 34 balls to spare, securing their first victory in the competition and rejuvenating team morale after consecutive losses.
Opting to bat first in the day-night encounter, Uttarakhand posted a total of 150 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a steady start, their innings faltered under the spin attack of left-arm bowler Parvez Sultan, who delivered a stellar performance, taking 4 wickets for just 19 runs. Sourab Das also chipped in for Tripura with 2 wickets for 32 runs, complementing Parvez Sultan’s brilliance.
Among Uttarakhand’s batsmen, Samarth top-scored with 42 off 35 balls, supported by contributions from Yuvraj Chaudhary (22 off 23 balls), Aditya Tare (20 off 12 balls), Swapnil KC Singh (18 not out off 9 balls), and Shashank Rawat (16 off 20 balls).
In response, Tripura got off to a shaky start, losing opener Samrat Sutradhar early. However, a match-winning partnership between Shridam Pal and Bikram Kumar Das turned the tide.
The right-handed Shridam and left-handed Bikram dominated the Uttarakhand bowling attack, compiling a formidable 141-run stand for the second wicket. Both batsmen showcased their skill and composure, accelerating the innings after a cautious start.
Bikram played a blistering knock of 79 off 43 balls, smashing 9 boundaries and 2 sixes before being dismissed. Shridam anchored the chase with an equally impressive 68 off 38 balls, laced with 3 boundaries and 5 towering sixes. Captain Mandeep Singh then sealed the victory, remaining unbeaten on 2 off 2 balls. Tripura reached the target in just 14.2 overs, with only two wickets lost.
For Uttarakhand, Madhoyal was the lone bright spot with the ball, claiming 2 wickets for 34 runs.
With this morale-boosting win, Tripura looks forward to facing Sikkim, considered a relatively weaker opponent, in their sixth match on December 3.
(Tripura, Northeast)
