Thiruvananthapuram: Chasing 116 runs in the first spell of Mumbai Heroes in the Celebrity Cricket League, Kerala Strikers scored 107 runs for 5 wickets in the first spell. After a massive collapse, Vivek Gopan’s firework after 5 overs took Kerala to a respectable score against Mumbai. Kerala lost their lead by 9 runs.
Vivek Gopan scored 63 runs off 24 balls. It includes 7 sixes and 1 four. Kerala was saved by a fifth wicket partnership with Saiju Kurup. Saiju Kurup scored 19 runs off 18 balls. Apart from them, no one crossed the double digits in Kerala. After the first five overs, Vivek Gopan’s six was seen in the field. This made the fans who came to watch the game of Kerala at Greenfield Stadium happy.
Captain Ritesh Deshmukh took 3 wickets for Mumbai. Ritesh conceded only 9 runs in two overs. Ritesh’s swing bowling in the 2 overs initially watered Kerala well.
116 runs for Mumbai Heroes in the first spell against Kerala Strikers. After winning the toss, the Mumbai players scored 116 runs in the first 10 overs at the loss of seven wickets. Mumbai Heroes’ opener Saqib Saleem shone in the batting line-up. Anthony Varghese, who made his debut for the Kerala team in the season in Celebrity Cricket, took two wickets.
Bollywood’s first wicket fell in the second over after aiming for a big score in Kariyavattam. Opener Samir Kochhar, who scored nine runs including two fours, was caught by Vinu Mohan Prashant Alexander in the second ball of the second over. Then Saqib Raja Bherwani was run out by Unni Mukundan on the third ball of the fifth over. Shabbir Ahluwalia’s wicket for Vivek Gopan, who came in fourth. Manikuttan was taking the catch.
Saqib Saleem, who batted unflinchingly even when wickets were falling on one side, was caught by Saiju Kurup Vivek Gopan in the last ball of the sixth over. Saqib scored 41 runs from 18 balls including three fours and three sixes.
Apoorva Lakhia’s 13-ball 25 saved Mumbai from the collapse later. Mumbai tried to score in the last over but missed the target. Unni Mukundan caught Sharad Kelkar near the boundary line in the first over bowled by Anthony Varghese. In the same over, Aftab was trapped in front of the wicket by Anthony Varghese. Madhav was run out by Anthony himself. Ritesh Deshmukh did not take any runs.
Two wickets for Anthony Varghese, good score for Mumbai against Kerala Strikers
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Last Updated Mar 5, 2023, 9:37 PM IST
