GONDIA will lock horns with Yavatmal in final of the VCA organised Inter-District T20 Cricket Tournament to be played under lights at VCA Civil Lines ground on Sunday. In the semi-finals played at VCA Civil Lines ground, Gondia thrashed Gadchiroli by 104 runs while Yavatmal registered a narrow two-wicket win over Amravati. DAGA, WATH HIT FIFTIES GONDIA captain Adhyayan Daga and wicketkeeper-batter Siddhesh Wath slammed half centuries as they posted 264 for four in 20 overs against Gadchiroli.

 

Asked to bat first, Gondia rode on Daga’s fine 93 and Wath’s unbeaten 67 to take their total past 250. Gondia lost Sanjay Ramaswamy (25) early but Daga and Kush Khandelwal (36) added 95 runs for the second wicket to set the tone for a big score. It was Daga who scored bulk of the runs as he hit nine boundaries and five sixes. After Khandelwal’s departure, Wath, who smashed six maximums and four balls to the fence, and Daga put up 54 runs for the fourth wicket. Wath and Rahul Singh (22; 11b, 2x4, 1x6) were instrumental in taking their score to 264 with a 19-ball 45 for fifth wicket.Ashit Singh took two wickets for Gadchiroli.

 

In reply, Gadchiroli were bundled out for 142 in 17.5 overs. Meeran Khan top scored with 58. Rahul Dongarwar took four wickets while Gaurav Farde took two for Gondia. DIGHADE, SASAN SHINE CAPTAIN Vedant Dighade and Jagjot Sasan excelled with the bat as Yavatmal edged past Amravati by two wickets in the second semi-final. Chasing a modest target of 144, Yavatmal crossed the line with two wickets in hand and one ball to spare. Yavatmal were in deep trouble as they lost four wickets for 27 runs by fifth over.

 

Opener Dighade (35; 31b, 5x4) and Sasan (46; 41b, 4x4, 1x6) added 78 runs for the fourth wicket to take the score near the target. Responsible innings in the end from Akshay Karnewar (20*; 10b, 1x4, 2x6) and Pratham Maheshwari (15*; 6b, 2x6), who added match-winning 33 runs from 13 deliveries, saw their side through. Earlier, Amravati rode on Sahil Sheikh’s 38-ball 44 to post a below-par 143. Sheikh slammed two boundaries and three sixes. Akshay Agrawal (21), Devansh Thakkar (20) and Vishesh Tiwari (30*) were the other notable scorers. For Yavatmal, Sasan took three wickets while Atharva Podutwar and Maheshwari took two each.