DHANGADHI, Feb 24: Indian all-rounder Sunny Patel plays match-winning innings to inspire CYC Attariya to win the title by three wickets against Mahendranagar United in the final match of Dhangadhi Premier League (DPL) played at Fapla International Cricket Ground in Dhangadhi on Saturday.
Player of the final match Patel smashed a six when Attariya required three runs in last two balls of the last over chasing the target of 124 runs.
He scored two sixes and three fours in his 26-ball unbeaten 47 runs batting at number seven. He attacked United’s go to man in death overs Avinash Bohora for two sixes and a four in his last two overs of the match.
Patel farmed strike with young batsman Jaeetendra Singh Thakuri to help Attariya win the title in the third season of the DPL.
This is winning team’s first championship. Now defunct, Team Chauraha Dhangadhi had won it last two times.
Patel’s Indian teammate Jaykishan Kolsawala made a good start at top of the innings with 27-ball 30 runs which included five boundaries.
All-round performance vital in Attariya’s DPL win
Skipper Dipendra Singh Airee made patient 17 runs from 35 deliveries. No other batsmen were able to reach double figures. The United Arab Emirates fast bowler Mohammad Naveed and left-arm spinner Sagar Dhakal shared two wickets each supported by Avinash Bohora and Shahab Alam’s one wicket each.
Earlier, United won the toss and elected to bat first in the final match of the DPL. Attariya bossed in the field as the players inflicted five run-outs in the innings.
Indian batsman Subramanium Anand, skipper Sharad Vesawkar, Kushal Malla, Bohora and Shahab were all caught short of the crease.
Patel’s dominance in the match continued as he was involved in three of them. He also bowled four overs conceding 11 runs and picking up the key wicket of Nath.
The left handed opening batsman had top-scored with 43 runs before losing his stumps to Patel. Nath faced 41 deliveries and smashed five boundaries and a six.
Similarly, Malla and Rohit Kumar Paudel scored 25 and 24 runs in 22 and 20 deliveries respectively.
Skipper Airee and left arm spinner Rawat shared two wickets each to dismiss United for 123 runs in exactly 20 overs.
This is Vesawkar’s second loss as a captain in DPL. “We could have batted better and ran well between the wickets but Attariya played really well. They took all their chances and at the end finished as winners,” he said.
Vesawkar’s team Biratnagar Kings had lost to Paras Khadka-led Team Chauraha Dhangadhi in first season of DPL whereas he lost to Gyanendra Malla-led Laitpur Patriots at the end of last year in Everest Premier League’s third season.
Skipper Airee was all praise for experienced Indian all-rounder Patel. “Sunny (Patel) really played well at the end. I would like to thank for all the well-wishers of Nepali cricket. Keep supporting us,” he said.
This is Patel’s second win in consecutive premier leagues. He also won the EPL championship with Lalitpur Patriots alongside team-mate Kolsawala.
Likewise, Patel expressed that he backed himself in these sorts of situations. “The position we had in last over usually 70 percent of times goes to the batting side. I was confident to complete the chase and I delivered,” said Patel.
Patel also won the player of the tournament and best batsman accolade. Similarly Attariya skipper Airee bagged the most valuable player award as his team-mate and lead spinner Bhuvan Karki won the best bowler award.
