Assam Reaches Knockout Stage in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

In a thrilling encounter, Assam managed to secure a remarkable victory, edging out Kerala by just 2 wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy BKC in Mumbai on Friday.

This nail-biting triumph has propelled Assam into the knockout stage, marking a significant milestone in their journey through the tournament.

Winning the toss and electing to field, Assam got off to a flying start as they restricted Kerala to a modest total of 127/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Abdul Bazith played a pivotal role, remaining unbeaten with 46 runs off 31 balls, while Rohan S Kunnummal contributed 31 runs off 32 balls. Sachin Baby added crucial runs towards the end, finishing not out with 18 runs off 17 balls.

Assam's bowlers were up to the task, with Avinav Choudhury leading the way with figures of 2/21, while Riyan Parag and Mrinmoy Dutta chipped in with one wicket each, conceding 17 and 20 runs, respectively.

In the chase, Assam faced a tough challenge but managed to reach the target with just three balls to spare. Riyan Parag played a stellar role, guiding his team to victory with an unbeaten 57 runs off 33 balls. Pradyun Saikia contributed 21 runs off 22 balls, and SC Ghadigaonkar added 14 runs off 21 balls. Kerala's Jalaj Saxena and Sijomon Joseph both picked up 2 wickets each, while Vinod Kumar managed to grab one wicket.

Brief score:

Kerala:127/6 in 20 overs (Abdul Bazith not out 46 in 31 balls, Rohan S Kunnummal 31 in 32 balls, Sachin Baby not out 18 in 17 balls; Avinav Choudhury 2/21, Riyan Parag 1/17, Mrinmoy Dutta 1/20).

Assam: 130/8 in 19.3 overs (Riyan Parag not out 57 in 33 balls, Pradyun Saikia 21 in 22 balls, SC Ghadigaonkar 14 in 21 balls; Jalaj Saxena 2/9, Sijomon Joseph 2/25, Vinod Kumar 1/17).

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