The inaugural match of the Kanpur Cricket League witnessed a spectacular bowling performance that set the tone for the tournament. Hosts Green Park Hostel secured a commanding 6-wicket victory over MUC on Sunday, largely thanks to a devastating spell from left-arm bowler Neeraj Kumar.
Neeraj Kumar's Deadly Spell Decimates MUC
Winning the toss under cloudy skies, Green Park Hostel captain made the tactical decision to field first, aiming to exploit the heavy atmospheric conditions. This move paid off spectacularly as Neeraj Kumar ran through the MUC batting line-up. His brilliant left-arm bowling yielded an extraordinary analysis of 7 wickets for just 15 runs. MUC's innings never gained momentum and they were bundled out for a paltry 53 runs in 18 overs.
Only opener Sourav Jha offered some resistance, scoring 19 runs. Three MUC batsmen were dismissed without scoring. Supporting Neeraj Kumar effectively, Vishnu Saroj chipped in with 2 wickets for 11 runs.
Comfortable Chase Seals the Win
In reply, Green Park Hostel achieved the target comfortably, scoring 54 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in just 10.3 overs. Yatharth Nagvanshi top-scored with 19 runs. For MUC, Shubham managed to take 2 wickets for 7 runs in a losing cause.
The match was preceded by a colourful opening ceremony. Raghubeer Lal, the Commissioner of Police, inaugurated the league as the chief guest. The PAC band provided musical entertainment. Sanjay Kapoor, chairman of the Kanpur Cricket Association (KCA), welcomed the dignitaries. The event was graced by former Test cricketer Gopal Sharma and several former Ranji Trophy players including Ankit Rajput, Shashikant Khandekar, Rahul Sapru, and Kapil Pandey, along with KCA officials.
Sunday League: Other Matches See Decisive Wins
In other matches of the Sunday Cricket League held across various grounds in Kanpur, four teams registered victories.
At HAL Ground: Patel Properties defeated Kalawati Super Kings by 8 wickets. Kalawati posted 87 runs, with Rahul Singh scoring 34. Ankul Jain was the star bowler, taking 4 for 12. Patel Properties chased it down efficiently, finishing at 88 for 2. Ankul Jain was named Man of the Match.
At Kamla Club Ground: Matador Foam edged out Crazy Rangers by a narrow margin of 8 runs. Matador Foam set a target of 161, powered by Brajesh Sharma (58) and Divyanshu Trivedi (56). Crazy Rangers fought hard but fell short at 154 for 7. Ritesh Gupta's 3 for 30 earned him the Man of the Match award.
At Sapru Ground: Blue Warriors beat Dam Charges XI by 5 wickets. Dam Charges XI scored 133, with Devendra contributing 58. Maninder's all-round performance (3 for 22 and 28 runs) guided Blue Warriors to victory and won him the Man of the Match honour.
At PAC Ground: Rising Kanpur Warriors outclassed Knight Scorchers by 20 runs. Rising Kanput Warriors posted a strong total of 226 for 8, featuring Karmendra Pandey's 52. In reply, Knight Scorchers managed 206, despite Avinash's 63. Shiv Pratap's magnificent 5-wicket haul for 30 runs sealed the win and the Man of the Match prize.
