Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Cricket Tournament
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 14: Talented youngsters Mujtaba Yousuf, Abdul Samad and seasoned campaigner Shubham Khajuria powered Jammu and Kashmir to a big 8-wicket victory over comparatively strong Uttar Pradesh in Elite Group A Round-III match of the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Cricket Tournament at Alur Cricket Stadium, Bengaluru, today.
Earlier, winning the toss for third consecutive time and as usual putting opposition into bat, J&K bowlers once again bowled splendidly and restricted Uttar Pradesh to a modest total of 124 runs in the stipulated 20 overs. Skipper Priyam Garg top scored with 35 runs off 36 balls, while Shubham Chaubey, Madhav Kaushik and Aryan Juyal contributed 28, 26 and 22 runs to the total respectively. It was the duo of Garg and Kaushik who consolidated the Uttar Pradesh innings after the early dismissal of both the openers and number three batsman in the shape of former International cricketer Suresh Raina for naught.
The trio of Garg, Kaushik and Juyal amalgamated their knocks with caution and aggression and took their side to though modest but reasonably respectable total of 124 runs. For Jammu and Kashmir, promising left-arm seamer Mujtaba Yousuf was once again pick of the bowlers, who took 3 important wickets (including Suresh Raina for zero) by conceding just 14 runs in his 4 overs. Mujtaba was also instrumental in J&K’s win against Tripura on the other day, taking 1 wicket by giving away just 8 runs in his 4 overs, with record 2 maiden overs.
Left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq also bowled brilliantly, scalping 1 wicket by conceding 20 runs in his 4 overs. Abdul Samad, though was a bit expensive in the only over he bowled, but took 1 important wicket of Priyam Garg in the same, conceding 14 runs, while skipper Parvez Rasool remained wicket-less but was economical as he gave away 19 runs in his 4 overs.
In reply, J&K reached the required target in just 15 overs, losing 2 wickets in the process, thus won the match easily by 8 wickets. Abdul Samad, who was promoted in the batting order, scored power-packed unbeaten 54 runs off just 35 balls, studded with 4 massive sixes and 2 delectable boundaries, while Shubham Khajuria contributed unbeaten 34 runs off 25 balls with the help of 3 crispy boundaries and a big six over long-on. Openers Qamran Iqbal and Suryansh Raina contributed 17 and 15 runs to the total respectively. Qamran hit 3 fours in his brief knock, while Suryansh hit 1 boundary and 1 six in his innings.
Samad, in particular, was in murderous mood, sending the bowlers on a leather-hunt when it mattered the most. He hit 3 massive sixes after the bowling of Shanu Saini and along with Shubham Khajuria took 23 runs in his one over. Samad took the charge at a crucial juncture when J&K was in desperate need of the same as J&K were 37/2 with both the openers gone within 7 overs. So, his elevation as number-3 batsman did the trick for Jammu and Kashmir. For Uttar Pradesh, Mohsin Khan was the pick of the bowlers, who took both the J&K wickets to fall by conceding 17 runs in his 4 overs. Test cricketer Bhubnehwar Kumar remained wicketless, giving away 22 runs in his 3 overs.
In other two Elite Group-A matches, Punjab defeated Railways by a huge margin of 117 runs, with Abhishek Sharma scoring magnificent century (107), while Karnataka trounced Tripura by a narrow margin of 10 runs. Karnataka’s Devdutt Padikkal top scored with unbeaten 99 runs off just 67 balls. J&K is at number-2 spot in the points tally in Elite Group-A, having won 2 matches and lost one, while Punjab tops the table with all 3 wins so far in the tournament.
Jammu and Kashmir will face Punjab in the next outing on January 16 at the same venue.
It is pertinent to mention here that the credit for inculcating winning habits/ways goes to former Test cricketer Irfan Pathan, who was mentor of the team for 2018-19 and 2019-20 season. He, apart from making the players mentally tough, helped them to play as a cohesive unit. It was Irfan who was instrumental in infusing and building self-esteem and character among the youngsters like Samad, Mujtaba, Abid, Suryansh and Pundir etc., not to talk of Khajurias, Punias and Rasools etc.
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