Aditya Bhandari powers Sonnet to win amid Doseja resistance

Ravi Brothers presented two of the talented batsmen in Delhi cricket circuit at the moment with the majestic-looking Ankit Kumar at the top and the classy manoeuvrer of the ball in Ayush Doseja.

So when Ravi Brothers went to bat in their 50th Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Hot Weather Cricket Tournament match on Thursday, hoping to chase the 218-run target set by Sonnet Club at the St Stephen's College Ground, it was a given that if the duo bats well, the team would achieve the target.

The left-handed Ankit began the chase with a bang, hammering a four and six with a drive over cover. But soon after that he was adjudged caught behind off Anirudh Chowdhary by umpire Dharmesh Darshan. Ankit was unhappy with the decision and he stayed at the crease protesting, as he reckoned that the delivery was way down the leg-side as he went for the pull and should have been given as a wide.

That left the onus on the left-handed Doseja and the other opener Shivam Tripathi. Doseja was in impeccable form as he manouevered the ball well. He had a couple of shots falling just out of reach of the fielders but beyond that he exhibited dabs, drives and hits over the park in his knock of 74 off 42 balls (6x4s, 4x6s).

Tripathi had been dismissed very early after hitting six fours in an over from Aayush Singh, who had returned from IPL duties only in the wee hours of Thursday, and his dismissal left the entire responsibility on Doseja's shoulders since the middle and lower order of Ravi Brothers was weak.

Sonnet sensed the opportunity and forced him to play a scoop over fine leg, which he missed and was bowled. "Doseja was doing well. Our plan was to bowl dot balls to him, force him to play a wrong shot. Our 2-3 overs went well, after which he went for the wrong shot off Lokesh Nagar and we got the wicket," said the 19-year-old Aditya Bhandari, who adjudged Player of the Match for his all-round show. Doseja was adjudged Fighter of the Match.

Bhandari is one of the talented and multi-dimensional players from Devender Kumar's Sonnet stables. He scored 33 off 19 balls (4x4s, 1x6). His innings at No. 5 played a key role in providing a fillip in the period immediately after powerplay.

He then removed opener Shivam Tripathi (28) and Siddharth Choudhary (23) who were both looking good.

"I began playing cricket in 2nd class. In 2017, I came to Sonnet and have been playing for Sonnet since then," says Bhandari.

Bhandari was initially a medium-pace bowler.

"I had a problem with back so I left medium-pace bowling. Continued with off-spin." Bhandari's initiation into cricket was through a friend of his father in the neighbourhood.

"I used to play in the gullies. There was an uncle in my gully (lane) who saw me play and brought a form for my dad for the academy at Titiksha Public School in Rohini. I learnt my initial cricket under Mahipal sir," says Bhandari, who however continued his studies at the Sachdeva Public School in Rohini where he stays.

Ayush Doseja (left) gets Fight of the Match Award from guest Manish Sehgal while in the top picture Aditya Bhandari (left) gets the Player of the Match Award from Sehgal.  

Currently Bhandari is pursuing BA (Hons) English at the SGTB Khalsa College but had taken a one-year break from there to focus on state cricket. He was the vice-captain of Delhi under-19 team last season.

Ravi Brothers folded for 174 in 18.2 overs to lose by 43 runs. 

Tags : DDCA League, Aditya Bhandari, Ayush Doseja, Ankit Kumar, Hot Weather, Cricket