Maharashtra to meet Mumbai in u-19 cricket final

Chennai, Jan 19 (UNI) Maharashtra will meet Mumbai in the final of the under-19 cricket tournament for the Vinoo Mankad Trophy here on January 21.

In the semifinals today, Maharashtra defeated Karnataka by 53 runs in a tall scoring match, while Mumbai scored a three wicket win over Delhi with five balls to spare.

Electing to bat first, Maharashtra, helped by a 116 ball-89 by No.3 Viral Shah (8x4, 1x6) piled up an imposing 291 for seven in 50 overs.

Opener Harshad Khadiwale (37), Nikhil Paradkar (39, 41 balls, 4x4) and Srikanth Munde (42, 28 balls, 6x4) contributed well with 'the bat to propel Maharashtra to a big total.

Karnataka were never in the hunt and caved in meekly losing the last five wickets for 44 runs in 6.4 overs. One-drop K B Pawan stood tall among the ruins hitting 94 runs (109 balls, 8x4) before he was ninth man out as his team collapsed from 194 for five in 40 overs to 238 all out in 46.5 overs.

At 130 for five in the 29th over, Pawan and Abrar Kazi (25) revived the hopes with a 64-run stand for the sixth wicket, before the latter's exit ended the hopes of Karnataka.

In the other match, a strokeful century by Yogesh Nagar (118, 142 balls, 10x4, 2x6) went in vain as Delhi lost to Mumbai.

Put into bat, Delhi scored 254 for nine in 50 overs with Anuj Jain (42, 50 balls, 7x4, 1x6) and Vartik Tihara (28) coming good with the bat.

In reply, Mumbai overhauled the target scoring 256 for 7 in 49.1 overs. Aditya Tare made 41 (54 balls, 7x4) and Sarvesh Damle chipped in with 71-ball 64, before Iqbal Abdullah, who picked four wickets with the ball, hit a fluent unbeaten 48 (53 balls, 1x4, 1x6), to guide Mumbai to the final.

Brief scores: Maharashtra 291 for 7 in 50 overs (Harshad Khadiwale 37, Viral Shah 89, Nikhil Paradkar 39, Srikanth Munde 42, Anirudh Joshi three for 39, Abrar Kazi two for 36) bt Karnataka 238 all out in 46.5 overs (K B Pawan 94, Abrar Kazi 25, Aditya Dole three for 25, Sunil Yadav two for 45, Praveen D Shetty two for 65).

Delhi 254 for nine in 50 overs (Anuj Jain 42, Yogesh nagar 118, Vartik Tihara 28, Prathamesh Mahadik two for 43, Iqbal Abdullah four for 33) lost to Mumbai 256 for seven in 49.1 overs (Aditya Tare 41, Sarvesh Damle 64, Iqbal Abdullah 48 not out, Narender Singh two for 49).

UNI