Matches for the Day
HS19 VS PhD
HS19 lost the toss and ended up batting first, which felt like trying to find Waldo under those floodlights. The ball looked smaller than a red cherry. And they kicked off the first innings with a bang. Kishan, the usual go-to chase master, was bamboozled by Akash Yadav’s slow-mo delivery. But wait, Akash wasn’t done causing chaos; he sent Neeraj packing in the same over. Quick wickets and dreams shattered.
Saketh stepped up to play the superhero as he held the fort, but the run rate was not very pleasing. Blame it on PhD’s spin wizard Navneeth – he was tighter than Sunil Narine’s wallet during the middle overs! No freebies here, folks.
Just when we thought PhDs were getting comfortable, in strode HS19’s captain, Akhil. Now, he’d been having a bit of a crisis with the bat during the group stages, but he had a score to settle in the knockouts. And oh boy, settle he did! He swaggered in, sent the first two balls into the orbit, and kept smashing it, even against the bowling menace, Akash Yadav. But just when Akhil started to look like a troublemaker, and things were heating up, Sanoop pulled off one of his signature off-breaks. Boom, thanks to an epic catch by Rajat, Akhil was gone. (By the way, I’m still trying to understand how Rajat tracked that cricket ball as if it was a flying football. The dude’s got some serious vision!) Akhil had still managed a quickfire 28 off 11 balls before this, and that partnership between Saketh and Akhil gave HS19 a fighting chance. But hats off to PhD’s bowlers – they were stone-cold. Throughout the game, PhD’s bowlers proved why they are our TAs, both when giving marks and giving away runs. Navneeth conceded only six runs in his three overs; it was harsher than the marks we get in sociology. Akash Yadav was a menace in all phases of the game, just like our Econ grades, and Sanoop made it clear that it’s Mission Impossible for both the batsman and students to score well under his vigilant invigilation.
Now, when the chase kicked off, Sarthak had a new opening buddy in the form of Akash Yadav. They teamed up for a 58-run opening partnership. Despite controlling run flow, HS19 struggled to pick early wickets, but then Ardra stepped up and sent Sarthak packing. Things started to get interesting.
Captain Akhil, the knight in shining armour, got rid of the PhD captain, Arjun. But Akash Yadav was still there like Kane Williamson in a pressure-cooker run chase. He held the game together and sealed the deal with a winning shot in the final over, taking them straight to the finals. It was a fantastic game, and I still can’t fathom how they could see that tiny ball under the floodlights. Sadly, it also became the last game for HS19 in the Prem Ranjan Tournament, but man, this team is in a league of its own – full of heart and emotion. They will surely be missed next year.
HS22 VS HS20:
The battle between HS20 and HS22 was one of the most anticipated games in the tournament and considering the stakes for the final spot, the buildup could not have been more intense. And once the battle lines were drawn, HS20 opened the batting. For a moment, they were in absolute shock as their batting powerhouse and the insti hockey wizard Naidu was dismissed in the very first over after a brilliant knuckle cutter delivery from Akhil Rama; the wicket seemed to have given Akhil Subway Surfers’ spring boots as he was all over. He bowled a maiden, too. But HS20 is made of some serious stuff. They know precisely how to handle pressure. Appu Krishnan continued his batting prowess just where he had left off in the group stages. Dude did not care about anything happening on the other end as he was on the Planet where Gayle, Sehwag, and Russel live. After Faiza left the field, the showman Shubham entered the drama. Shubham had not gotten a proper opportunity to bat in the group stages and boy, did he put a captain’s innings under pressure. He stood like Faf Duplessis and waited for the ball till the end and his drives were so clean that they were an absolute delight to watch. He hit an unbeaten 44 off 19 balls. This innings from Shubham took the scoreboard to 100. He only went back after being runout, but the damage was already done as HS20 scored a whopping 112 runs with Vishal sending the final ball out for a fantastic six.
While there was every sign of rain in the air, not a single soul in the arena budged an inch. They were here for one thing, and one thing only: Part 2 of the epic rain of sixes that HS22 had unleashed in their last showdown against HS23. As Santhosh and Akhil strolled out onto the field, the electric tension in Sangam could’ve powered the entire campus.
The opening duo probably thought that chasing down 112 runs was as easy as pie, given their record-breaking past. But, oh, how wrong they were, for standing in their way were none other than Shubham “Akthar” and Vishal “Boom Boom” Ahlawat. The very first over turned into a clash of the champions, with the tournament’s best batsman facing off against one of the best bowlers in the department. It was captain versus captain, and the fielders around the batting duo were so tight that it looked like the first over of the test match. Shubham and Vishal bowled so fast that even the wicketkeeper couldn’t keep track of the ball. HS20 could snag that golden wicket at any given moment, and just to add to the suspense, the rain decided to have some fun.
As the rain poured, the match had to take a rain check. But both teams were ready to continue, and when Santhosh and Akhil returned, they had a clear agenda: hit every ball like they were trying to send it to the moon. And boy, did it work. In the next six balls they faced, they pummelled the ball and racked up 22 runs. But, of course, the rain decided to show up again. As the weather was lousy, the match was postponed to the reserve day, levelling the playing field once more. The silver lining was that both teams had some time to sit down and strategise for the next 46 balls. Finally, after what felt like two eternities, the match resumed after two days.
And then it happened, the defining moment of the tournament. Faiza, after two sleepless nights, showed Santhosh what true vengeance is with her mystical spinning delivery and sending Santhosh packing. Appu caught that bullet from Santhosh’s willow like he was snagging a frisbee, and the sheer joy on HS20’s faces was as clear as day. They knew they’d just struck gold. And despite the best efforts from Akhil, Pranay and Vinayak, the bowling trio of Akku, Appu, and Shubham got the better of them as they picked wickets at the right time. When the innings were over, HS20 stood head and shoulders above, and the victory over HS22 meant they were in the main event in the grand finale along with PhD. But for HS22, it would be an outstanding experience in their maiden outing, as they won the hearts of everyone with their grit and valour, and they are surely waiting for the next edition.
The highlight of the day:
The battle between HS22 Openers and HS20’s strike bowlers is one for ages. It felt like Bumrah and Shami were bowling to Smith and Labuschagne, and every ball was a classic. It was a delight to watch as both Shubham and Vishal managed to get a few nicks of the batsmen’s willow. The bowling sublime displayed by Shubham and Vishal is arguably the best bowling partnership we have seen in the tournament so far.
Most Valuable Player
Akash Yadav:
Akash had an unforgettable day with the ball. He not only picked both the HS19 openers in the same over, but he also displayed a ‘No Entry’ warning to any batsman that wanted to score against him. While there’s not much to add about this bowling legend, what needs to be mentioned is that Arjun’s decision to promote his deputy, Akash, as the opener was a masterstroke as Akash was instrumental in the chase. He was as cool as Kane Williamson and always one step ahead of the opponents.
Shubham Uikey:
After a quiet group-stage batting performance by Mr. Showman, Shubham wanted everyone to know that he is a man made for big auctions. He single-handedly shifted the momentum towards HS20 with the bat as his innings included some of the outstanding shots played all over the ground. After taking his team to a mammoth 112 runs, Captain Shubham’s work wasn’t done yet. The Madhya Pradesh express proved equally strong with the ball. The dude put immense pressure on HS22 openers and at the end removed the threat of Pranay.
Report by Joseph Kumar
Edited by Amirtha Varshini V C
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