Naroli Honest CC 165/5 in 20 overs (Lala Naroli 44*, Soyab Shaikh 42, Faiyaz Patel 2/28) beat Super Sports Kim 161/8 in 20 overs (Asif 29*, Hanif Kara 4/26, Sabir Bhula 2/22) by 4 runs.
Naroli Honest posted a formidable total of 165/5 in their 20 overs and it had to be clinical chase by Super Sports if they were to win the game. As they started their chase, they were going really well until Fahim Patel was caught in the third over, then Akashadeep and Solanki added another 26 runs for the second wicket. Super Sports were maintaining a decent rate but the problem was that they kept losing wickets at regular intervals which created havoc for them towards the end. After half of the innings completed, Super Sports were 80 for 3, they still needed 86 runs with seven wickets in hand. Atleast one or two batsmen had to show some persistence on the wicket but unfortunately they were not able to. Right from the openers, everyone first got settled and then lost their respective wickets, they all faced atleast 10 deliveries each but none of them was able to make most of it. Super Sports needed 18 runs from the last over, Asif tried his best, he also hit a six and a four in first three balls, but just couldn't help his side get over the line as Soyab Shaikh came back well and gave just three on the next three deliveries, Naroli Honest won the match by four runs. In the bowling, Bhula, Bhorat and Ismail Kara gave Super Sports the initial blows and Hanif Kara got rid of lower middle order, he scalped four wickets to his name.
After winning the toss, Naroli Cricket decided to bat first and then defend in a high-pressure game. They were given a decent start by their openers as they added 46 runs for the first wicket. As Jada went into pavillion, Shaikh and Ismail Kara made sure they didn't lose a wicket in succession and get the score board ticking, though, they both had a partnership of 50 runs, none of them was able to take charge and boost up the run-rate. Soon, Ismail Kara also departed in the very next over. Now the onus was on Lala Naroli to play an impulsive innings and get his team to a defendable total. And Naroli didn't disappointed at all as he played beautifully for his unbeaten 44, he scored majority of his runs towards the square of wicket. In fact it was his innings that took the total to a 160-plus one.
From 48 teams down to two, the Nawab Pataudi T-20 Cricket Tournament has been a long and a memorable journey. It all started on 17th November and today on 1st March, Naroli Honest emerge as champions. They would be quite pleased with their journey so far, hopefully we see some good cricket in next season as well, till then, cheers!
