Kedar Jadhav’s responsible 86 and Shahbaz Nadeem’s crucial four-wicket haul were significant contributions in the well-rounded performance of India-B, which beat India-C by 51 runs to win the Deodhar Trophy at the JSCA Stadium here on Monday.
Opting to bat in the final, India-B overcame a slow start to post 283 for seven and then restricted India-C for 232 for nine.
Porel strikes
On a pitch offering good bounce and movement, medium pacer Ishan Porel bowled beautifully to hand India-C an early advantage. He had Ruturaj Gaikwad with a perfect outswinger and the rival skipper Parthiv Patel, who had promoted himself and had escaped on three, with a delivery that found the southpaw’s outside edge. India-B was struggling at 28 for two in nine overs.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, reprieved on 10, stitched together 45 runs with B. Aparajith (13) before the latter was trapped in front by Jalaj Saxena.
Jaiswal (54, 79b, 5x4, 1x6) flourished to play some delectable shots to get his second half-century. He perished due to his rush of blood, hoisting Axar Patel to Porel at deep midwicket.
Good stands
At 92 for four in the 25th over, India-B was in the danger of losing its grip. However, Jadhav stood firm in three important partnerships — worth 79, 74 and 31 with Nitish Rana (20), Vijay Shankar (45) and K. Gowtham (35 n.o.) respectively — to turn the script around.
Even while using his excellent judgement to rotate the strike, Jadhav played some good-looking strokes, predominantly off Mayank Markande on the leg side, in his 94-ball knock containing four fours and as many sixes.
As Vijay and Gowtham switched gear in the death, Jadhav provided support until the final over. Gowtham was severe on Pathania, who spilled two catches off his own bowling and conceded 31 in his last over, during his blitzkrieg which gave his side a distinct advantage.
Porel scalped Rana, Vijay and Jadhav for his second fifer (five for 43).
Early setback
India-C faltered in its reply, losing captain Shubman Gill to Mohammed Siraj in the second over. Ten overs later, Nadeem removed a well-set Mayank Agarwal (28).
Soon, Virat Singh was run out and Suryakumar Yadav and Dinesh Karthik fell to Nadeem’s disciplined bowling as India-C reeled at 77 for five. The efforts of Priyam Garg (74), Axar (38), Saxena (37) and Markande (27) were in vain.
The scores:
India-B : Ruturaj Gaikwad c Suryakumar b Porel 0 (6b) , Parthiv Patel c Karthik b Porel 14 (20b, 1x4) , Yashasvi Jaiswal c Porel b Axar 54 (79b, 5x4, 1x6) , B. Aparajith lbw b Jalaj 13 (30b, 1x4) , Kedar Jadhav c Shubman b Porel 86 (94b, 4x4, 4x6) , Nitish Rana c Karthik b Porel 20 (28b, 1x4) , Vijay Shankar c Axar b Porel 45 (33b, 4x4, 2x6) , K. Gowtham (not out) 35 (10b, 3x4, 3x6) , Rush Kalaria (not out) 0 (1b); Extras (b-4, lb-3, nb-1, w-8): 16; Total (for seven wkts. in 50 overs): 283.
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-28, 3-73, 4-92, 5-171, 6-145, 7-276.
India-C bowling: Porel 10-0-43-5, Pathania 10-0-79-0, Jalaj 10-0-42-1, Axar 10-0-33-1, Markande 10-0-79-0.
India-C: Mayank Agarwal c Gowtham b Nadeem 28 (31b, 3x4) , Shubman Gill c Jaiswal b Siraj 1 (7b) , Priyam Garg b Siraj 74 (77b, 8x4, 1x6) , Virat Singh run out 6 (7b, 1x4) , Suryakumar Yadav b Nadeem 3 (7b) , Dinesh Karthik lbw b Nadeem 3 (10b) , Axar Patel run out 38 (49b,3x4, 1x6) , Jalaj Saxena (not out) 37 (65b, 1x4) , Mayank Markande c Siraj b Nadeem 27 (35b, 3x4) , Diwesh Pathania b Kalaria 6 (10b) , Ishan Porel (not out) 5 (2b, 1x4); Extras (lb-2,w-2): 4; Total (for nine wkts. in 50 overs): 232.
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-56, 3-64, 4-71, 5-77, 6-140, 7-165, 8-212, 9-223.
India-B bowling: Kalaria 10-0-56-1, Siraj 10-1-43-2, Rana 10-0-45-0, Nadeem 10-1-32-4, Gowtham 10-0-54-0.
Toss: India-B.
India-B won by 51 runs.
