Empress Cricket League: Anuj Rawat's 96* guides Delhi Challengers to title triumph; full list of award winners

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Gurugram, March 6: The Empress Cricket League concluded on Sunday (March 5) as Delhi Challengers ended up lifting the trophy.

After beating Sehgal Cricket Club Delhi by 8 wickets, Delhi Challengers won Rs 10 lakh in prize money while the runners-up received a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh.

RCB's Anuj Rawat stars for Delhi Challengers

Batting first, Sahgal Cricket Club Delhi were restricted to 198 in 20 overs. Openers Hrithik Shokeen and Ayush Badoni - the batter of the tournament - failed to give their team a good start. Shubham Garhwal (51) and captain Mohd Sultan Ansari (38) were the top scorers for the side. Rishi Dhawan (4/22) and Varun (3/32) were the pick of the bowlers for the Delhi Challengers.

In the run chase, opener Ian Dev Singh smashed 36-ball 59 and gave Delhi Challengers an explosive start along with Shreevats Goswami (27). But it was Anuj Rawat who stole the show with his batting exploits and posted an unbeaten 96 off 40 deliveries. Rawat plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL.

Riding upon an imperious top-order batting show, Delhi Challengers overhauled the target in 16 overs and lost just two wickets in the process.

The tournament, which started on February 26 at the SportsCube Center for Excellence in Gurgaon was organised by Soniya Singh of Empress Sports.

The aim of the tournament was to provide a platform for young and talented rising cricketers to showcase their skills and entertain cricket fans.

The T20 tournament had some A-listed players such as Shahbaz Ahmed, Manan Vohra, Vibrant Sharma, Pradeep Sangwan, Yudhvir Singh Charac, and Tejas Baroka among the notable names who are participated in the tournament.

The Empress Cricket League featured nine participating teams, including Delhi Challengers, Richa, Kingsway Sports, Aura, Rann Star, A&S, Sahgal Cricket Club, Minerva, and the Air Force team.

In the semi-finals held on March 4, Delhi Challengers defeated Kingsway by 4 wickets, while second semi-final match between Sehgal cricket club and Rann Start cricket club, the former won by 48 runs.

In the grand finale featuring Delhi Challengers and Sehgal Cricket Club, the former ended up winning by 8 wickets and clinched the title.

The winning team Delhi Challengers took home the prize money of Rs 10 lakh while the runners-up side bagged Rs 3 lakh.

Soniya Singh, the founder of Empress Cricket League, said, "The Empress Cricket League has been an incredible experience so far, and we are thrilled with the support and enthusiasm of all involved. We hope to see more of the same in the knockout rounds and the grand finale, which promises to be an unforgettable experience for all involved."

Prize Money and Full List of Award Winners:

Player of the Match (Final) - Anuj Rawat

Best Bowler of the Tournament - Varun Pal

Best Batsman of the Tournament - Ayush Badoni

Runners Up - Sehgal Cricket Club - Rs 3 lakh

Winners - Delhi Challengers - Rs 10 Lakh