Shantanu captures 'perfect ten'

The match was played at S. B. City College Ground. After winning the toss, Navaniketan Club batted first and scored 185 runs in the first innings, powered by Vedant Dighade’s 83 runs (87 balls, 14 fours). For VMV, Shreshth and Himanshu Bante took four wickets each.

In reply, VMV scored 252 runs, taking a 68-run lead. Remarkably, all ten VMV batsmen were dismissed by Shantanu Chikhle. For VMV, Himanshu scored a brilliant century-111 runs (169 balls, 7 fours, 5 sixes).

Navaniketan Club declared their second innings at 246 for 7, setting VMV a target of 180 runs for an outright win. For Navaniketan, Aditya Ahuja smashed 74 runs off 47 balls with seven fours and six sixes, while Manan Agrawal scored 46 and Faiz Sheikh and Alok Wadkar contributed 34 runs each. Chasing the target, VMV could manage only 173 for 3 in the second innings, and the match ended in a draw. Hemant Rathod was the top scorer with 87 runs. However, due to their first-innings lead, VMV were declared winners. Shantanu had also taken six wickets in the previous match, and his consistent performance surely deserves attention from the VCA selection committee.