Dehradun, 18 October (MTNews): In an electrifying showdown at the Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun, the Nagaland Senior Men’s Cricket Team faced a nail-biting defeat at the hands of Tripura, who clinched victory by 3 wickets in a contest that went down to the wire.
Nagaland, captained by Jonathan Rongsen, won the toss and opted to bat first. Their opening pair, Sedezhalie Rupreo (31 runs) and Joshua Ben Longkumer (46 runs), got off to a solid start, forging an impressive 82-run partnership in just 12 overs. It seemed as though Nagaland was poised to post a formidable total on the scoreboard.
However, the disciplined bowling attack from Tripura, masterminded by AS Sarkar, proved pivotal. Sarkar removed the crucial wickets of Joshua Ben Longkumer and Sumit Kumar (21 runs), who were appearing to be in fine form, connecting the ball for exquisite boundaries and sixes. In the later stages, the experienced duo of Jonathan Rongsen (13 runs not out) and Hokaito Zhimomi (8 runs) combined to add some valuable runs at the end, but Nagaland could only post a total of 129.
In the run chase, Tripura lost their opener, Bikram Kumar Das (4 runs), in the very first over as Imliwati executed a stunning catch in the deep off Nagaland’s bowler Jaganath Sinivas to send him packing. However, the national icon and Tripura’s captain, Wriddhiman Saha, displayed his class with a stellar 41-run knock. N Sen Choudhury (28 runs) and RA Dey (24 runs) also contributed significantly to the score, with AK Sarma finishing the game in favor of Tripura with a powerful six.
Jaganath Sinivas was the standout bowler for Nagaland, scalping 3 wickets, while Tahmeed Rehman and the teenage sensation Khrievitso Kense secured 2 and 1 wicket, respectively.
Nagaland’s opening match against Madhya Pradesh was got washed out due to rain. The team’s next challenge is scheduled against Delhi on 19 October at 11:00 AM at Maharana Pratap College Ground, Dehradun.
Despite the missed opportunity for victory, the Nagaland side seems to be on an upward trajectory, with players showing improved fitness and notable progress in their fielding abilities.
To catch all the live action, fans can tune in to the Jio Applications or Sports18 channel.