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Delhi, Punjab and HP record victories

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Delhi and Punjab posted impressive victories but Himachal Pradesh was stretched by Services as the results came on expected lines on the opening day of the North Zone Twenty20 cricket league at the Palam grounds on Tuesday.

Delhi pounded Jammu and Kashmir by 49 runs soon after Punjab had completed a nine-wicket drubbing of Haryana. Thereafter, Himachal Pradesh survived a possible upset by escaping to a 14-run victory over Services.

A depleted Delhi put the match well beyond the limited capabilities of J & K by scoring 167 for three, built mainly around Shikhar Dhawan’s 47-ball 58 studded with a six and seven fours.

Though Rajat Bhatia provided the blitz towards the end with a 24-ball 42 including two sixes and four boundaries, debutant opener Farman Ahmed caught the eye.

Ahmed struck three boundaries in his 29 off 26 deliveries when the ball was not exactly coming on to the bat. Even as Dhawan took charge, Ahmed provided ideal support by rotating the strike with a variety of strokes during the 80-run opening stand.

In reply, the visiting team never looked in the hunt. Delhi bowlers shared the spoils, with Pradeep Sangwan being the most successful.

Easy for Punjab

At the adjacent ground, Punjab surprisingly demolished Haryana. Put in, Haryana collapsed from 67 for two when Punjab leg-spinner Rahul Sharma took three key wickets in the 12th over. But it was medium-pacer Luv Abhilish who cleaned up five wickets, including three tailenders in the final over.

Punjab’s chase of 112 was made easy by opener Ravi Inder Singh who smashed an unbeaten 67 off 54 balls dotted with two sixes and seven boundaries.

Later, Himachal Pradesh underlined its supremacy over Services only after the exit of latter’s skipper Yashpal Singh who kept his team in the hunt with 58 off 41 balls, including a six and four boundaries.

The scores: Delhi 167 for three in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 58, Rajat Bhatia 42 not out, Farman Ahmed 29, Mayank Tehlan 25 not out) bt Jammu and Kashmir 118 in 18.5 overs (Amit Baloria 31 not out, Hiken Naresh Shah 27, Pradeep Sangwan three for 25, Yogesh Nagar two for 13, Sumit Narwal two for 14, Rajat Bhatia two for 14). Delhi 4 points, J & K 0.

Haryana 111 for nine in 20 overs (Rahul Diwan 35, Pradeep Sahu 27, Luv Abhilish five for 20, Rahul Sharma three for 14) lost to Punjab 115 for one in 18 overs (Ravi Inder Singh 69 not out, Sunny Sohal 27). Punjab 4, Haryana 0.

Himachal Pradesh 135 for five in 20 overs (Paras Dogra 54, Mukesh Sharma 39, Rakesh Kumar three for 23) bt Services 121 in 19.4 overs (Yashpal Singh 58, Vikramjit Malik three for 21, Jitender Mehta two for 24. HP 4, Services 0 .

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