Chandigarh, Maharashtra enter quarter-finals in U-19 Nationals

Chandigarh, Nov 14 (UNI) Hosts Chandigarh and Maharashtra joined Uttranchal, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir in the quarter-finals of the inaugural National Twenty-20 Cricket Championship for Under-19 being played here today.

Jammu and Kashmir were lucky as they moved into last eight stage without facing even a single ball as Goa and Vidhrabha pulled out from Pool E.

Maharashtra topped pool B and Chandigarh emerged Pool F leaders with two wins each from as many matches and qualified for the quarter-finals. Maharashtra scored their second successive win as they trounced Dadar Nagar Haveli by six wickets.

Hosts Chandigarh also registered scored their second successive triumph by outclassing Jharkhand by a big margin of 139 runs. Medium pacer Jaskaran Singh held the spotlight by claiming 7 for 16, including a hat-trick as Chandigarh made mincemeat of Jharkhand whom they beat by 139 runs.

Batting first after winning the toss, Chandigarh scored 189 for 3 in 20 overs. Top scorer Amit Prashar (72, 10x4s) and Karan Sharma (39, 5x4s) put on 142 runs for the second wicket stand. S Singh and Rozal Batra remained unconquered on 13 and 27 runs, respectively.

Jharkhand were bundled out for 50 in 8.3 overs. Somveer Tiwari (31, 6x4s) wastheir main scorer. Eight Jharkhand batsmen were dismissed for zero..

Maharashtra batted first and invited Dadar Nagar Haveli to bat first. Deadly bowling by Yuvraj Pawar (5 for 10) and Sandeep Lahane (3 for 9) helped Maharashtra to skittle out Dadar Nagar Haveli for 80 runs. Extras contributed 29.

Maharashtra achieved the target by scoring 83 for four in 10.4 overs. Openers Sagir Shah (20), Ravi Gawande (20) and Sandeep Lahane (not out 21) guided them Maharashtra to victory.

In Pool D Delhi started with 10-wicket win over Rajasthan in their opening match. In a low scoring match, Rajasthan were bowled out for 60 in 13.5 overs. Rohit Yadav (4 for 11) and Anuj Jain (2 for 3) destroyed Rajasthan innings. In reply, Delhi openers Navneet Srivastav (24) and Gaurav Upadhaya (24) remained not out as Delhi made 61.

A brilliant unbeaten 110 by Bhupinder Mishra and good knock of 53 by Abhay Kumar helped Chattisgarh beat Mumbai by 153 runs.

Chattisgarh made 200 for 1 and in reply Mumbai got all out for just 47 runs. Vishal Kumar (3 for 2) and Sushil Nautial (3 for 9) were the wrecker-in-chiefs of Mumbai innings.

UNI XC DP SAM VV2137