Avneesh Sudha, Hrithik Shokeen guide Sahgal Club to final

Uttarakhand batsman Avneesh Sudha, batting for Sahgal Cricket Club at No. 3, guided his team to the final of the 50th All India Tyagmurti Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament underway at the SGTB Khalsa College Ground.

His match-winning performance came after off-spinner Hrithik Shokeen's four-wicket haul on Friday and together they scripted Sahgal's four-wicket triumph over Bright Cricket Club in the first semi-final.

Sudha, who earlier in the season scored 132 in the Laxman Dass Memorial Cricket, hit 90 and missed his century as he wanted to get to three figures.

"I had talked about getting a century with my partner Mohit Ahlawat and he said that I should go after the bowling and get to my 100 but unfortunately I holed out after a few hits. We needed 10 runs to win and I needed 10 runs to score my century when I was caught," said Sudha, who hails from Garhi Negi Village in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar and left it to live at Dhansa Border and train under Narinder Gulia's Haryana Cricket Academy.

He fell for 90 (63 balls, 9x4s, 4x6s).

His wicket was the fourth to fall in the 27th over after an 89-run partnership.

Hrithik Shokeen gets Man of the Match Award in this picture while Avneesh Sudha gets Player of the Match Award in the top picture

Two more wickets fell after that but eventually Sahgal reached the 267-run target with Ahlawat remaining unbeaten on 57 off 20 balls. Ahlawat showered seven sixes, one of which, hit over deep mid-wicket, landed outside the college campus.

"We got a good start. Usually if a batsman from the top-order plays a long innings in a big match, you are sure to win. That is what I thought and therefore took the game deep," said the 23-year-old Sudha who played two Ranji Trophy and five Vijay Hazare Trophy games for Uttarakhand this season.

Sahgal had got off to a good start through Dev Lakra, who hit 45 off 21 balls (7x4s, 2x6s). He and skipper Sultan Ansari (17) added 60 for the first wicket. After the two fell in quick succession, Sudha added 101 for the third wicket with Robin Bisht (48).

Earlier in the day, Hrithik Shokeen ran through the middle and lower order of Bright Club, ending with 4/26.

He removed skipper Mayank Gusain (44) and left-hander Mayank Gupta (52) in the 36th over after the duo had added 91 for the fifth wicket and looked set to launch an attack in the last five overs. He picked two more and the four wickets ensured that Bright were restricted to 266/9 in 40 overs.

The second semi-final will be played between Tilak Nagar Colts and Rajnigandha Achievers on Saturday.  

Tags : Delhi Cricket, Avneesh Sudha, Hrithik Shokeen, Uttarakhand, Khalsa College