Punjab 223 for 4 (Anmolpreet 113, Wadhera 61*, Mandeep 32) beat Baroda 203 for 7 (Rajput 61, Rathva 47, Krunal 45, Arshdeep 4-23) by 20 runs
After four missed attempts, Punjab stormed to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title by beating Baroda in a high-scoring thriller in Mohali.
That Arshdeep over was preceded by Siddarth Kaul conceding a sequence of 6, 0, 4, 4, 4, 6 to raise hopes of an improbable heist chasing 224. But Arshdeep summoned all his experience by varying his pace and lengths to concede just four to all but seal the match in Punjab’s favour.
Baroda’s dream start
Atit Sheth then got into the game in the fourth over when he responded to a boundary with a superb follow-up to dismiss Prabhsimran Singh. A superb outswinger that drew Prabhsimran forward had him nicking while attempting an expansive drive. Prabhsimran also burnt a review in the process, with snicko confirming a big edge. Punjab were in trouble at 18 for 2.
Mandeep, Anmolpreet break shackles
Anmolpreet impressed with his bottom-handed power, backing away to shovel yorker-length deliveries to the cover boundary, while equally showing he was adept at the deft touches, like he did off Krunal’s left-arm spin. Mandeep and Anmolpreet had added 62 off just 40 when Krunal struck against the run of play. Mandeep’s attempt at playing a cute reverse sweep led to him picking out short third.
Wadhera shines, Anmolpreet hits first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy finals ton
Mandeep’s dismissal, though, hardly affected Anmolpreet. A reason for that was Wadhera, the No. 5 batter, hardly took time in settling himself in. He got going almost immediately to ensure Anmolpreet didn’t need to slow down. He raised a half-century off 36 balls and then saw Wadhera, who broke through earlier this year during his maiden IPL season with Mumbai Indians, pinch 29 off 11 in a half-century partnership.
Anmolpreet launched Lukman Meriwala, the left-arm seamer, for three sixes in a row in the 17th to make a charge towards the hundred. He eventually got to the landmark in the 19th, making it the first-ever hundred by a batter in a SMAT final, and then ended that over with back-to-back sixes off Soparia. All told, Punjab walloped nine sixes and three fours off their last 21 balls to put up a monstrous score.
Rathva fuels Baroda’s charge
Krunal’s slice of luck, Rajput’s enterprise
At the halfway mark, Baroda were 89 for 2, but needed a massive second half. A wicket there could’ve been crucial for Punjab. An opportunity came in the 11th when Baltej forced Krunal into playing a pull from way outside off. It was hit straight down Harpreet Brar’s throat but the catch went down.
Yet for all that, the asking rate only kept climbing. Going into the last four, Baroda needed 65. When Kaul went for 24 in the 18th, nerves turned into full-blown panic. Krunal was hitting them clean and long, and Baroda sensed a heist. And then Arshdeep rocked up and delivered a clutch over to seal the deal.
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo