Six-hitting Gill powers Punjab
ALUR (KARNATAKA): Punjab’s U-19 World Cup star Shubman Gill smashed an unbeaten 123 to upstage KL Rahul’s Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy here on Sunday.
Gill hit eight fours and six sixes in his 122-ball innings and put on 125 runs for the second wicket with Mandeep Singh (64) to power his team to 269 for 3 in a game reduced to 42 overs due to a wet outfield.
A century by India opener Rahul (107) went in vain as the hosts lost by four runs in the Group ‘A’ match.
The home side looked in control as long as Rahul was at the crease. He was also involved in a 100-run partnership with Pavan Deshpande (53).
Rahul fell with 21 runs left and skipper Vinay Kumar’s 26 couldn’t take the team home.
In Nadaun, opener Unmukt Chand continued his fine form with a knock of 90 as Delhi thrashed Bengal by 89 runs to continue their winning streak.
Opting to bat, Delhi posted a competitive 282 for two in the stipulated 50 overs.
In reply, Bengal were all out for 193 in 41 overs with Abhimanyu Easwaran making 67 off 89 balls in the Group B match.
Delhi were off to a steady start as Unmukt and Hiten Dalal added 67 runs for the first wicket.
After Dalal’s departure, Unmukt found an ally in Nitish Rana, who hit 48 off 42 balls with four sixes and two boundaries.
(MK Lomror 63, Piyush Chawla 3 for 44) lost to Gujarat 176 for 3 in 33.2 overs (Priyank Panchal 55, Bhargav Merai 41 not out, Dhruv Raval 40).
(Shubman Gill 123*, Mandeep Singh 64) bt Karnataka 265-8 in 42 overs (KL Rahul 107, Pavan Deshpande 53, Siddharth Kaul 3-47).