Uttarakhand Premier League 2024, Match 2 Review: Pithoragarh Hurricanes clinch victory in their opening clash

Dehradun, 16 September 2024: In the first match of the Monday double-header, Pithoragarh Hurricanes mounted a determined chase to claim their first two points in the standings with a brilliant four-wicket win over Haridwar Spring Elmas. Neeraj Rathour led the charge with a match-defining knock of 73 from 49. His innings featured seven fours, and four sixes, showcasing remarkable composure throughout. At the same time, Vijay Sharma took charge of the finishing duties with a strong, aggressive performance – an unbeaten 22-ball half-century.

Chasing a big target of 196, Pithoragarh Hurricanes got off to a shaky start as they lost opener Aditya Naithani and No.3 Vishal Kashyap inside the first two overs. Hitesh Naula and Neeraj Rathour stabilized the innings with a crucial partnership, taking their team from 7/2 to 80/3. Their stand ended when Pramod Rawat dismissed opener Hitesh Naula for 38 off 24 balls.

Neeraj Rathour remained unfazed by Hitesh Naula’s dismissal and focused on maintaining the momentum. With Vijay Sharma, he shared a crucial partnership of 68 runs as the duo's efforts helped their side seal a thumping win with just three balls to spare.

Earlier, after being sent into bat, Haridwar Spring Elmas made a steady start, with openers Daksh Awana and Ravikumar Samarth providing a solid foundation. In contrast to last night's early losses, the top-order delivered, taking the team to 54 without loss in the Powerplay. The opening partnership, worth 60 runs, was broken by Pithoragarh Hurricanes' left-arm spinner Rohit Dangwal, who had Daksh Awana caught for 24.

The Spring Elmas lost a couple more wickets before snaring Ravikumar Samarth's big wicket. He played a captain's knock, scoring 60 off 39 balls with four fours and three sixes, before being stumped by wicketkeeper Vijay Sharma.

The opening game’s star duo of Saurabh Rawat (31 off 19) and Saurav Chauhan (46* off 15) provided the late push with a power-packed partnership. They shared a blistering stand of 75 runs from just 29 balls, guiding their side to a big total.