Eagle Nashik Titans thrash PBG Kolhapur Tuskers by 8 wickets

Pune, 5 June 2024: Rahul Tripathi assumed the role of PBG Kolhapur Tuskers’ captain for the first time but he could not turn their fortunes for better against his former side Eagle Nashik Titans during their Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) 2024 match at the MCA International Stadium on Wednesday.

Eagle Nashik Titans chased down 163 in 17.3 overs with eight wickets to spare to hand PBG Kolhapur Tuskers their third straight loss.

Kolhapur pacer Nihal Tusamad drew edge off Mandar Bhandari on the first ball of the chase but wicketkeeper Aniket Porwal did not go for a catch that he should’ve as the ball raced to the fence. Bhandari then hit a crisp boundary to lay down the marker.

Bhandari (47, 28b, 6x4s, 2x6s) and India U-19 star Arshin Kulkarni (31, 14b, 2x4s, 3x6s) then sent Kolhapur fielders on a leather hunt in the power play. The duo took impact player Sumit Markali (in for Ankit Bawne) to cleansers smashing 42 off his three power play overs.

The score at the end of 6 overs was 81 for no loss, bettering 78 for 2 scored by Ratnagiri Jets against Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings earlier in the day.

By the time Shrikant Munde trapped Kulkarni in front in the seventh over, the equation had come down to 81 off 81 balls. In the next over, leggie Shreyas Chavan castled Bhandari to give Kolhapur some hope.

However, Ranjit Nikam (33, 31b, 2x4s, 1×6) and impact player Atharva Kale (42, 32b, 4x6s) stitched unbeaten 79 runs off 61 balls to ensure there were no hiccups and guided their team home with eight wickets and 15 balls to spare.

Earlier, all eyes were on Rahul Tripathi, who was named the captain of PBG Kolhapur Tuskers after Kedar Jadhav announced his retirement on Monday. Tripathi won the toss and opted to bat first.

However, the decision backfired. Openers Ankit Bawne (1, 2b) and Harsh Sanghavi (12, 10b, 1×6) were back in the hut by the start of fifth over to leave Kolhapur tottering at 32 for 3.

In between, Tripathi (12, 9b, 1×4, 1×6) played a cameo that included a lap six against Arshin Kulkarni (2 for 49 in 4 overs). However, the youngster had a last laugh, removing the Sunrisers Hyderabad batter in his second over.

Keeper-bat Aniket Porwal (37, 30b, 3x4s, 1×6) and India U-19 Sachin Dhas (46, 37b, 3x4s, 2x6s) were left to steady the ship rather than take attack to the opposition. Both were dismissed by left-arm spinner (2 for 16 in 3 overs) to leave Kolhapur with a below par score.

Brief scores: PBG Kolhapur Tuskers: 162 for 7 in 20 overs (Sachin Dhas 46, Aniket Porwal 37; Hari Sawant 2-16) lost to Eagle Nashik Titans: 163 for 2 in 17.3 overs (Mandar Bhandari 47, Atharva Kale 42*; Shrikant Mundhe 1-17) by 8 wickets.