PANAJI
Dempo Challengers beat LPK11 to enter the finals of the Panjim Gymkhana Members League T20 league.
Dempo will take on Prescon Panthers in Sunday's final between the top-two teams from the league stage. The Challengers had to dig deep for the win as Kiran Shirwaikar produced a match-winning all-round show at Panjim Gymkhana ground on Saturday. Kiran’s quick-fire 37 helped Dempo post a fighting total of 131/8 before he came good with the ball, picking up two wickets, giving away just 8 runs off his three overs.
LPK 11 were in control with Dempo Challengers on the ropes at 58/4 in the 12th over; and then, when LPK 11 were moving along comfortably in their run-chase with the team score reading 53/1 in 9.4 overs. In both these situations, Dempo Challengers were able to find a way back.
Defending a modest total, Dempo got wickets at regular intervals in what was a magnificent team effort in bowling and fielding. Captain Mukhtar Kadri, who had a rare failure with the bat, gave his team the big breakthrough in the first over, sending back hard-hitting opener and his counterpart Anup Kudchadkar.
Devidas Kolkar (30 off 31 balls, 3x4) and Sanjay Netravalkar (22 off 29 balls, 1x4) kept the scoreboard ticking and seemed to have done enough to build a good platform for LPK to get into the driver's seat. However, the end of the 53-run partnership for the second wicket, triggered a collapse and despite having strong batters in the middle order, LPK shockingly found themselves sinking in a hole after Manish Kakode was run out for 12.
Siddharth Ghanekar, who was their hero in the Eliminator with a rescue act, once again found himself carrying the burden of the LPK's fate. He struck some forceful shots, but his three boundaries in the 16-ball knock of 23 runs, were not enough to save his team from defeat.
Dempo's Kadri (2/16) and Nakul Mhamal (2/24), Purple cap-owner Ajay Pednekar (1/15), Pranav Dhuri (1/13) and Sargam Falare (1/12) all bowled well as LPK 11 were all out for 109 in 20 overs.
