PANAJI
A year after stumbling at the last hurdle, Dempo Challengers on Sunday won the PGML 2.0 finals at the Panjim Gymkhana in a one-sided encounter, defeating Priority Titans by 51 runs.
Losing the toss to the Titans, who put them in to bat, the Challengers' batting order fired. The league’s leading run-getter, opener Devidas Kholkar scored a patient 35 in 37 balls, while the second-highest scorer in the tournament, Kiran Shirwaikar smashed a 16-ball 39 with four boundaries and three sixes to help the Dempo Challengers put 163 for seven on the board.
Muktiar Kadri had to bear the brunt of the Challengers’ batting exploits, giving away 36 runs in three overs for no wickets. Harsh Parekh was the most economical bowler for the Titans, taking two wickets for 16 runs in three overs.
The Priority Titans batters simply failed to fire right from the beginning of the innings, losing wickets at regular intervals, thanks to a good bowling performance by the Challengers. The leading wicket-taker at the PGML 2.0, Kiran Shirwaikar took two wickets for 19 runs, while also picking up the Man of the match award for his all-round performance. Dempo Challengers’ bowlers Dinesh Amrute and Nakul Mhamal took three wickets each to complete the demolition of the Priority Titans, who were bowled out for 112 with five balls to spare.
The PGML 2.0, the second edition of the T20 league organised by the Panjim Gymkhana, started on January 7 with six participating teams. After five league round matches, the Mavericks topped the league table with Priority Titans placed second.
Along with the trophy, the winning team Dempo Challengers were awarded a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, while runners-up Priority Titans were awarded a purse of Rs 1 lakh. Last year, in the first edition of the tournament, Dempo Challengers had lost the finals to Prescon Panthers.
Commenting on the win, Shrinivas Dempo, the owner of Dempo Challengers said: “PGML 2.0 has been a very pleasing experience. Panjim Gymkhana's vision and mission to improve Goa's status in cricket is going to materialise if you have events like this. We've enjoyed every part. Two finals, one lost very narrowly, one won, so we are looking forward to the next one already.”
According to Parind Nachinolkar, the owner of Priority Titans, the better team on the day had ended up winning the final. “It has been an exciting tournament right from the beginning. We won the first four matches. It was all thrill, thrill and thrill. We have an awesome team who stood together united. We had some good times, we had some little downs. And today, the best team won absolutely,” he said.
