Punjab Triumphs Over Madhya Pradesh in Thrilling Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Clash

Punjab Secures Nail-Biting Victory

Pune [Maharashtra], December 16: In an exhilarating encounter at the DY Patil Academy, Punjab achieved a dramatic two-wicket win against Madhya Pradesh in the Super League Group A of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 on Tuesday. Chasing a daunting target of 226 runs, Punjab clinched the victory in the final over, thanks to outstanding contributions from Harnoor Singh, Salil Arora, and Ramandeep Singh.

Madhya Pradesh, batting first, set a challenging score of 225 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. Venkatesh Iyer was the standout performer, scoring a brisk 70 runs off 43 deliveries, which included eight boundaries and two sixes, maintaining a high run rate despite an early wicket.

Punjab's innings was bolstered by a late surge from Aniket Verma, who scored 31 runs off 16 balls, and Mangesh Yadav, who added 28 runs off just 12 balls, ensuring the scoreboard kept moving during the death overs.

On the bowling front for Punjab, Gurnoor Brar took 3 wickets for 45 runs, while Ramandeep Singh claimed 2 wickets for 38 runs. However, the aggressive batting from Madhya Pradesh meant that both bowlers conceded over 40 runs during their spells.

During the chase, Harnoor Singh set the tone with a blistering 64 runs off 36 balls, keeping the required run rate manageable. The middle order played a crucial role, with Salil Arora contributing a significant 50 runs off 29 balls, and Anmolpreet Singh adding 38 runs off just 14 balls. The decisive moment came from Ramandeep Singh, whose unbeaten 35 runs off 21 balls ensured Punjab crossed the finish line.

As the match reached a thrilling climax, Punjab needed 23 runs from the last 12 balls. Ramandeep Singh took charge, scoring 17 runs in the 19th over and hitting a six off the first ball of the final over, leading Punjab to victory.

Ramandeep's exceptional all-round performance earned him the Player of the Match accolade.