Sahas Cricket Club, after winning the toss, opted to bowl first. The bowlers put up a disciplined performance to restrict NCA 2 to 138 for 9 in the allotted 30 overs.
The chase began on a shaky note, with early dismissals rattling the top order: Yuvaan Mittal (8 off 23), Virat Deshmukh (4 off 14), Aarna Ghorpade (8 off 10), and Spandan Gudadhe falling for a duck. Despite a fighting 23 off 21 balls by Vaideep Dharmijwar and contributions from Shourya Kolwalkar, Shourya Gajbhiye, and Neal Kholiya, Sahas was staring at defeat at 80 for 8.
Enter Atharv Pillai.
Displaying grit and aggressive class, Atharv turned the tide of the match. With fearless strokeplay, he smashed 38 runs off 34 balls, including seven scintillating boundaries, at an impressive strike rate of 111.76. He was ably supported by Vedant Deshmukh, who held the other end with a composed 12 off 22 balls. Their unbeaten 61-run partnership for the ninth wicket sealed a nail-biting victory for Sahas Cricket Club, finishing at 141/8.
For his match-winning knock and all-round performance, Atharv Vishnudas Pillai was rightfully declared Man of the Match and awarded the trophy, marking a proud moment for the young cricketer and his team.
Atharv’s brilliance not only kept Sahas Cricket Club alive in the tournament but also inspired young cricketers across the city, proving that pressure makes champions. A star is truly rising in Nagpur’s cricketing skies.