Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 16 (ANI): The Spring Elmas began the 2024 Uttarakhand Premier League with a bang, achieving a thrilling four-wicket win over the Warriors in the opening match held in Dehradun. Saurabh Rawat’s exceptional performance turned the inaugural match into an unforgettable spectacle.

Chasing a challenging target of 177, the Haridwar team found themselves in dire straits at 40/5 by the seventh over, making it seem as though victory was slipping away. However, Saurabh Rawat turned the game on its head with a dazzling unbeaten 97 off 49 balls, leaving spectators in awe of his prowess.

Saurabh led the charge with a sensational innings that included 11 boundaries and four towering sixes, showcasing both power and precision in his batting.

Initially, Spring Elmas’ chase was derailed by Deepak Kumar’s double-wicket over and Abhay Negi’s two-wicket haul. By the end of the Powerplay, they were reeling at 39/4 and lost another wicket at the start of the seventh over, with Negi adding to his tally.

Saurabh Rawat, batting at No.5, and Saurav Chauhan, batting at No.7, then steadied the innings with an impressive 81-run partnership after the shaky start. While Chauhan anchored the innings, Rawat played aggressively, leading the charge.

The game saw another twist when the Warriors dismissed Saurav Chauhan for a 28-ball 26 in the 17th over, leaving Spring Elmas needing 56 runs from 22 balls.

Saurabh was joined by Girish Rauturi, who struck a boundary off his first ball, boosting confidence. The duo maintained their focus and precision, ultimately leading Spring Elmas to a dramatic and unforgettable victory over the Warriors.

Earlier in the match, Haridwar Spring Elmas’ captain Ravikumar Samarth chose to bowl first, a decision that paid off with two early wickets. Left-arm pacer Prashant Bhati claimed the first wicket of the UPL by bowling Warriors’ opener Vaibhav Bhatt for a three-ball duck. This breakthrough led to another wicket for Spring Elmas, with Girish Rauturi dismissing No.3 batsman Aanjaneya Suryavanshi for a duck.

With the score at 13/2 after two overs, opener Sanskar Rawat steadied the Warriors’ innings by hitting three consecutive fours off Rauturi, swinging the momentum in his team’s favour. Sanskar continued his aggressive play, reaching a strike rate of 200 and taking the team to 58/2 after the Powerplay with a quickfire 18-ball 36.

However, the introduction of spin in the seventh over halted the Warriors’ progress, as left-arm spinner Harman Singh claimed the key wicket of Sanskar, who scored 37 off 21 balls.

Warriors’ captain Aditya Tare, leveraging his wealth of experience, held one end but struggled to find consistent partnerships as wickets fell in the middle overs. Despite these setbacks, Tare delivered a composed and powerful innings, receiving late support from No.9 batsman Himanshu Bisht. The pair added an unbeaten 40 runs in the final 2.4 overs, lifting their team to a respectable total.

Tare top-scored with a blistering 41-ball 73*, which included four boundaries and five sixes. Girish Rauturi was Spring Elmas’ standout bowler, finishing with figures of 3 for 31.

Looking ahead, Monday’s double-headers will see Haridwar Spring Elmas face Pithoragarh Hurricanes at 3 PM IST, while Dehradun Warriors will seek redemption against Nainital SG Pipers at 7:30 PM IST. (ANI)