Uttar Pradesh suffered their second consecutive defeat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023-24, falling to a narrow three-wicket loss against Hyderabad in a gripping day-night encounter at Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens on Tuesday.
UP's Batting Collapse Sets the Stage
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the Uttar Pradesh innings never gained momentum and they were bundled out for a modest total of 127 runs in just 19.2 overs. The highest partnership of the innings was a mere 29 runs between opener Madhav Kaushik and wicketkeeper Aryan Juyal. Kaushik top-scored with a fluent 37 off 31 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and a six. However, the team's star batters, including Sameer Rizvi (2) and the hard-hitting Rinku Singh (14), failed to make a significant impact. A late cameo of 23 from 17 balls by Aaradhya Yadav provided some respectability to the total.
Hyderabad's Bowlers Dominate
The Hyderabad bowling attack was clinical and shared the wickets effectively. Spinner Tanay Thyagarajan and pacer CT Rakshann were the chief destroyers, picking up three wickets apiece. Left-arm seamer CV Milind supported them well with two crucial scalps, ensuring UP could not post a challenging score.
Hyderabad's Chase: A Rollercoaster Ride
In pursuit of 128, Hyderabad's chase was a tale of fluctuating fortunes. Openers Tanmay Agarwal and Aman Rao provided a steady start with a 34-run stand. UP fought back with quick wickets, including a brilliant direct-hit run-out by Rinku Singh to dismiss Pragnay Reddy for 1. The innings was steadied by a crucial 44-run partnership between Tanmay Agarwal and Buddhi Rahul.
Tanmay Agarwal played a match-defining knock, smashing a quickfire 43 from just 26 balls, which included four boundaries and three sixes. His aggressive intent shifted the momentum firmly in Hyderabad's favour before he was stumped off the bowling of Vipraj Nigam. The match took another dramatic turn as Hyderabad slipped from a comfortable position to 107 for 7, reigniting UP's hopes.
However, the lower-order duo of Sai Yadav (10*) and Md Afraz (13*) held their nerve under pressure. They stitched together an unbeaten partnership to guide Hyderabad over the finish line with four balls remaining, finishing at 129 for 7. For UP, Vipraj Nigam was the most successful bowler with figures of 3 for 20.
Brief Scores and Aftermath
Uttar Pradesh: 127 all out in 19.2 overs (Madhav Kaushik 37, Aaradhya Yadav 23; CT Rakshann 3/31, Tanay Thyagarajan 3/29).
Hyderabad: 129 for 7 in 19.2 overs (Tanmay Agarwal 43, Aman Rao 22; Vipraj Nigam 3/20, Prashant Veer 2/19).
This victory gives Hyderabad valuable points in the group stage, while Uttar Pradesh will need to regroup quickly after two back-to-back losses in the prestigious domestic T20 tournament.
