UP on verge of making history
Young skipper Akshdeep and Co aim for a win against Baroda at Mumbai today
Monday could be a historic day for young skipper Akshdeep Nath and Co when Uttar Pradesh take on Baroda in their maiden final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 Trophy at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
If UP win the battle, this would be there second biggest achievement in the domestic cricket history after winning their only Ranji Trophy in 200506. In the same year, they lost to Railways in the Inter-State 50-over event, before losing back-to-back Ranji Trophy finals in 2007-08, 2008-09 and since then it’s the first-ever final battle in a prestigious event for the side.
“Certainly, it’s going to be a big day for UP and I am sure that Nath and boys will bring the trophy home,” for mer UP skipper and a member of the selection committee Gyanendra Pandey told HT on Sunday.
Pandey, who coached UP Ranji side into two finals, admitted that infusing young talent in the twenty20 side this time had produced good results. “It was a collective decision to infuse more young talent in the side, and we all selectors wanted someone young to lead. That’s why Akshdeep was made vicecaptain of the side in the event,” he added.
BATTLE OF EQUALS
In fact, it will be a battle of equals as the two teams had entered the final by topping their respective groups in similar fashion, by virtue of finishing with the best net run rate in their pools after finishing level on points with another team.
While UP outplayed Goa in Rajkot, Baroda stuttered against Kerala in final game and went through on superior NRR. Baroda could enjoy a slight advantage, having played in these conditions in their zonal leg as well as the Super League stages. Baroda’s seven-match winning streak in the tournament was snapped by Kerala, where as UP had lost to Gujarat in the Super League.
KEY PLAYERS
Both the openers Mukul Dagar and Prashant Gupta have been in good touch in the tournament and they have the capa- bility to turn the tables on the rivals on any given day. Dagar (277 runs) has been the highest run scorer for the side, while the Prashant, who smashed his maiden T20 century in the previous game against Haryana would look to continue in the same vein.
Left-arm spinners Ali Murtaza and Praveen Gupta have been among the wickets.
The pace attack looks a bit weak despite the presence of swing bowler Praveen Kumar. The temperamental India discard hasn’t had much to show in the wickets column in the previous games.
“Everybody is in a good shape and boys are eager to make a mark this time,” team manager Ashish Winston Zaidi told HT.
“The way our batsmen and bowlers have played so far in the zonal league and the Super League, I am very much sure about their win here tomorrow,,” he added.
Baroda being the West-zone champions have relied mostly on the bowlers to secure wins in the tournament. Leftarm medium pacer Lukman Meriwala is the leading wicket taker in the tournament, with 18 scalps, including a five-for against Delhi. The 22-year-old has picked up a wicket in each match and skipper Aditya Waghmode will be relying on his expertise.
Left-ar m spinner Krunal Pandya and left-arm medium pacer Hardik Pandya have also proved their mettle. Besides, they have an experienced campaigner in Munaf Patel who bowled a tight first spell against Kerala before giving away 19 runs in his last over. Baroda’s batting has not revolved around a lone person but it has been more of a team effort with oneplayer taking them across the line, though the team depends a lot on the opening combine of captain Waghmode and Kedhar Devdhar.