Dehradun, 17 September 2024: The Nainital SG Pipers triumphed in the second match of the double-header on Tuesday during the Uttarakhand Premier League 2024. They secured a thrilling 20-run victory against the Haridwar Spring Elmas, showcasing a riveting contest of skill and strategy.

Shashwat Dangwal led the charge for the Haridwar Spring Elmas with a determined batting performance. Despite his valiant efforts, frequent loss of wickets at the other end and his dismissal in the penultimate over hampered their chances of victory.

Haridwar Spring Elmas, set a target of 190 runs, made a strategic change by promoting Himanshu Sony to open alongside captain Ravikumar Samarth, replacing Daksh Awana. Unfortunately, Sony’s innings was cut short as he was dismissed in the very first over, failing to make an impact.

Shashwat Dangwal emerged as the anchor of the innings with a fighting 77 runs. Contributions from Sparsh Joshi (16 from 9 balls) and Girish Rauturi (14 from 6 balls) added useful runs but were not enough to form crucial partnerships.

Prashant Bhati (20 from 15 balls) joined Dangwal in an attempt to stabilize the innings. The duo began to build a vital partnership, steering the chase forward. However, the SG Pipers struck gold at the start of the 19th over by dismissing Shashwat Dangwal, ultimately restricting Haridwar Spring Elmas to 169/9.

Dangwal’s 46-ball innings was studded with eight sixes and four boundaries. For the Nainital SG Pipers, Nikhil Pundir (3/23) and Mayank Mishra (3/28) delivered stellar performances with the ball, each claiming three wickets.

Earlier, after being put in to bat, Nainital SG Pipers’ Priyanshu Khanduri adopted an aggressive approach from the very beginning. However, he soon lost his opening partner Avneesh Sudha (11 off 11 balls) and No.3 batsman Kartik Bhatt (6 off 4 balls) during the Powerplay.

Despite these early setbacks, Khanduri blazed his way to a half-century in just 27 balls. His explosive innings came to an end when Haridwar Spring Elmas’ skipper Ravikumar Samarth bowled him out for a brisk 31-ball 56.

Wickets continued to tumble during the middle overs, yet Bhanu Pratap Singh held firm at one end with a steady 30-ball 35.

Towards the end, SG Pipers’ skipper Rajan Kumar (29 off 13 balls) and Arush Melkani (32* off 17 balls) launched a late assault. Their quickfire partnership of 58 runs propelled the team to a formidable total of 189/7.

The match was a gripping display of cricketing prowess, with both teams showcasing moments of brilliance. However, it was the Nainital SG Pipers who ultimately emerged victorious, underlining their competitive edge in the Uttarakhand Premier League 2024.