Jitesh Sharma Leads NECO Master Blaster to Victory in Vidarbha Pro T20 League
Thrilling Finale at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium
On Sunday, Jitesh Sharma, the wicketkeeper-batter for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, showcased his exceptional T20 form, guiding NECO Master Blaster to a nail-biting seven-wicket victory over Pagariya Strikers, thus clinching the Vidarbha Pro T20 League title at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
Chasing a challenging target of 179 runs, the innings began with Vedant Dighade and Adhyan Daga forming a solid 35-run partnership before Daga was run out after scoring 22 runs off 16 balls. Aryam Meshram then joined Dighade, and together they added 90 runs before Dighade was run out for 42 runs off 26 balls. Coming in at number five, captain Jitesh Sharma took control, hitting three sixes and a four at an impressive strike rate of 272.72. With just six runs needed off 14 balls, he secured the victory with a powerful shot over spinner K Salve’s head, igniting celebrations.
Dighade finished the match unbeaten with 80 runs from 52 balls. Following the win, Jitesh humorously attempted to sneak away from his teammates but was playfully stopped by the team's sports therapist, adding a light-hearted touch to the celebrations. This marked the second time Jitesh concluded a match in such a dramatic fashion, having previously led his team to victory against Bharat Rangers in the semi-finals with a quick 46 runs off 22 balls. His reputation as a reliable finisher was further solidified by his performances in IPL 2025, including an unbeaten 85 against Lucknow Super Giants and 24 runs in the final.
Despite their loss, the Pagariya Strikers had remained unbeaten until the final. Shanmesh Deshmukh's impressive 82 runs off 45 balls earned him the player of the match award. The Strikers struggled initially, losing three wickets for just 27 runs in 3.3 overs. MD Faiz contributed 19 runs off 12 balls, while Dhruv Shorey added 6 runs off 5 balls. Shivam Deshmukh steadied the innings with a resilient 82 runs off 45 balls, supported by Pushpak Gujar (25), Yash Kadam (16), and Vishesh Tiwari, who remained not out on 23. The Strikers managed to post a competitive total of 178 for 7 in their 20 overs.