Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Mukhtar Kadri delivered another power-packed all-round performance to enable Priority Titans register a narrow 8-run victory over Prescon Panthers in the second Qualifier match and enter the final of PGML 4.0, at Panjim Gymkhana ground here on Saturday.
Priority Titans will clash with RC Goa in the grand finale at 11am, on Sunday. India cricketer Jaydev Unadkat will be chief guest for the final presentation ceremony.
Electing to bat first, captain Kadri scored a crucial 26 runs off 19 balls (4x4), while the Titans innings wobbled with some soft dismissals at promising junctures of their innings. Ojas was the top-scorer with 38 runs off 36 balls, while the leading run-scorer of the PGML 4.0 - Vedant Naik scored 22 runs. In the process, the duo put on an important partnership of 40 runs for the second wicket. Rest of the batters including the reliable Samir Chodankar (13) struggled to get going and from a launchpad stage of 92/3 in 13.1 overs, the Titans were restricted to 131/8 in the alloted 20 overs.
Prescon Panthers put on a disciplined effort in the field and looked well in control as Sazu Naik (3/13), Aditya Angle (2/21) and Harshal Shah (1/20) were amongst the wicket-takers.
While Prescon Panthers made a cautious start and played themselves into a decent foundation phase at 48/1 in 8.3 overs, the run-chase ran into rough weather after captain Prajyot Rivonker (25 runs off 30 balls) and Aditya Angle (20 off 19 balls) departed in quick succession, leaving the Panthers stuttering at 57/3 in 10.3 overs.
Poor shot-making hurt the former champions as the match slipped out of their grasp once the 32-run stand for the 4th wicket between Manish Kakode (18) and Sunil Rathod (14) came to an end.
With 15 runs required in the last over and 2 wickets in hand, Sazu Naik (12) deposited the pacy Kadri for a sixer on the first ball. The one following was a dot ball, and 9 runs were needed off 4 balls when Prescon Panthers were dealt the hammer blows with Kadri castling Sazu and Iftikhar Agha of the next two deliveries. Prescon Panthers were bowled out for 123 in 19.4 overs, and frenzied celebration kicked off in the Priority Titans camp. Kadri (2/22) led with steely determination and with crucial contributions with bat and ball, was named Grant Thornton Man-of-the Match. Sandeep Nadkarni presented the award in the presence of Manish Karapurkar.
Earlier, RC Goa made it to their first final with a comprehensive 35-run victory over Priority Titans in the first Qualifier.
Later in the day, Prescon Panthers scored a nervy 3-wicket win against Dempo Challengers in the Eliminator. RC Goa registered another fine team performance in the ongoing PGML 4.0 and outplayed Priority Titans in all three departments of the game.
The Eliminator witnessed a tense finish with Prescon Panthers getting the better of Dempo Challengers by 3 wickets in a see-saw battle. Manish Kakode was named the Grant Thornton man-of-the match. Jairam Kholkar was the chief guest and handed over the award in the presence of Narahar Thakur.
Brief scores: Priority Titans 131/8 (Ojas 38, Mukhtar Kadri 26, Vedant Naik 22; Sazu 3/13), Prescon Panthers 123 in 19.4 overs (Prajyot Rivonker 25, Aditya Angle 20, Manish Kakode 18; Mukhtar Kadri 2/22), Priority Titans win by 8 runs.
RC Goa 151/7 (Samar Dubhashi 36, Swayam Naik 20, Dhilan Shah 20; Mukhtar Kadri 3/33); Priority Titans 116 in 18.5 overs (Mukhtar Kadri 22, Sanjay Netravalkar 20, Samir Chodankar 18; Kushnab Ghai 3/22), RC Goa win by 35 runs.
Dempo Challengers 109 in 19.1 overs (Tunish Sawkar 25, Ketan Nandrekar 22, Niraj Lotlekar 19; Manish Kakode 3/14); Prescon Panthers 110/7 in 17.1 overs (Prajyot Rivonker 25, Sazu Naik 21 not out, Vivek Karapurkar 19 not out; Dinesh Amrute 4/14), Prescon Panthers win by 3 wickets.