Dehradun, 20 September 2024: The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium witnessed a thrilling Friday afternoon showdown as the USN Indians edged past the Dehradun Warriors by a narrow margin of just five runs, securing their direct spot in the Final of the Uttarakhand Premier League 2024.

Chasing a daunting target of 214 with a place in the knockout stage at stake, the Dehradun Warriors faced early turbulence. Their opener, Vaibhav Bhatt, was dismissed for a duck, putting immense pressure on the team. Nonetheless, Sanskar Rawat, showing remarkable composure, teamed up with skipper Aditya Tare, who entered at No.3.

Sanskar Rawat held one end steadfastly while wickets tumbled at the other. By the end of the Powerplay, Dehradun was reeling at 66/3. Despite these setbacks, Sanskar Rawat displayed sheer resilience and aggression, racing to his half-century in just 21 balls, igniting hopes for a comeback.

As Sanskar Rawat spearheaded the chase, Sagar Rawat provided vital support, forging a crucial partnership. However, USN Indians’ bowler Prashant Chauhan turned the tide by taking out both key batsmen in successive overs. He ended their promising 58-run stand by first dismissing Sagar Rawat, who contributed 24 off 16 balls, and then claiming the prized wicket of Sanskar Rawat, who blazed 80 from 41 balls.

The lower order of Dehradun Warriors fought valiantly to stretch the game till the end. However, the disciplined bowling by USN Indians in the final two overs restricted Dehradun to 208/8, sealing a nail-biting win.

Earlier, USN Indians set the stage ablaze with a powerful batting performance. Openers Yuvraj Chaudhary and Aarav Mahajan laid a strong foundation, capitalizing on the Powerplay to take their team to 74/0. Yuvraj Chaudhary sprinted to his half-century by the ninth over, achieving it in just 29 balls.

Their opening partnership flourished and reached the century mark by the 10th over. Unfortunately, it was in this same over that Aarav Mahajan’s innings ended at 45 runs from 29 balls, courtesy of Satyam Baliyan’s brilliant delivery. Mahajan’s knock included one four and five sixes.

Shortly after, Yuvraj Chaudhary also fell in the 14th over following an explosive innings of 78 runs off just 47 balls, featuring six fours and five sixes. Contributions from Aryan Sharma (17 from 12) and Abhinav Sharma (21 from 18) added useful runs. Skipper Akhil Rawat’s blistering 12-ball 36 propelled their total to an imposing 213/7.

Earlier in the day, Mussoorie Thunders triumphed over Pithoragarh Hurricanes by eight wickets, securing their place in the final of the Women’s Uttarakhand Premier League 2024. The Thunders will clash with Nainital SG Pipers in what promises to be an exciting final on Saturday evening.

This high-octane match underscored the intensity and unpredictability of T20 cricket, delivering entertainment and drama to fans and setting a thrilling tone for the upcoming final showdown.