PANAJI: Dempo Challengers were bowled out for a below-par 116 in 19.4 overs against Prescon Panthers in the PGML final at PG ground, here on Sunday.
Electing to bat, Dempo Challengers failed to put up a decent batting performance as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
Dempo’s marquee player Aryan Mashelkar was the top scorer with 25 runs off 28 balls. He applied himself and played steadily as wickets fell around him. His innings contained two welcome boundaries as runs were hard to come by in the wake of disciplined bowling performance by the Panthers. Kiran Shirwaikar (12) hit the only sixer of their inning, but he failed to bat responsibly as he had done in the Qualifier 2 with a man of the match performance.
Mahesh Gavande scored 14 runs and combined with Aryan for 24 runs partnership for the ninth wicket. It was the second highest stand in the innings after the 27-run partnership for the second wicket between Naishad and Mehank.
Naishad Kamat struck two fours in his 13, at the top of the order. Mehank Dharwadkar (10) and Sargam Falare (10) were the other batsmen to get into double digits.
Dempo Challengers were in dire straits in the 11th over with the score reading 76/7. And getting to almost run a ball total seemed like a mini-recovery for the bowlers to have a respectable score to defend. Prescon Panthers conceded 14 wides in the total of 18 extras in Dempo’s final score of 116.
Narayan Kambli (3-0-9-2), Vivek Karapurkar (3-0-13-2) and Rohit Salgaonkar (3-0-20-2) bowled very well for Prescon Panthers. Prajyot Rivonker and Buddhadev Mangaldas picked up a wicket each. Buddhadev (9 wickets) overtook Dempo’s Ajay Pednekar, in the race for the Purple Cap. Buddhadev now has nine wickets.
