Powermen win first Twenty20 tournament

Chandigarh, May 7 (UNI) All India Electricity Control Board (AIECB) defeated Professional Cricket Club by five wickets in the final of the inaugural All India Prize Money Twenty20 Cricket Tournament at the Sector 16 Cricket Stadium here today.

The powermen got their sweet revenge against Professional Cricket Club who had beaten them in their opener in Pool B league phase and lifted the rolling glittering trophy and a cheque of Rs 1 lakh.

Professional CC received the runners-up trophy and a cheque of Rs 50,000.

Punjab Governor Gen (Retd) S F Rodrigues, who is also the Administrator of Chandigarh, was the chief guest and distributed the prizes at a short but impressive function.

AIECB won the toss and elected to field. Professional CC made 147 for 7 in 20 overs and their innings lasted 105 minutes.

Ravinder Nain (16) and Gurinder Saini (26) gave them a good start by putting on 49 runs for the opening wicket stand before Nain's stumps were uprooted by medium pacer Ashok Dinda (1 for 23).

Then Saini and wicketkeeper-cum-batsman Bageshwar Bisht (27) carried the total to 81 before the former was caught by wicketkeeper Ridhiman Shah of the bowling of Basant Mohanty. Amit Verma remained not out on 25 which included five fours. AIECB conceded 22 extras.

Medium pacer Basant Mohanty emerged the most successful bowler for AIECB by taking four wickets for 26 runs and restricting the Professional Club's total.

Requiring 148 runs for a win, AIECB achieved the target by scoring 150 for 5 in 19.2 overs. Opener Charanjeet (25) and Prabhjot Singh (38. 2x4s, 2x6s) posted 51 for the first wicket stand.

Dropping of Harikishan Kali by Sanjay of the bowling of Parveen at 118 for 5 tilted the balance in favour of AIECB. Kali (29 not out, 4 fours and Ridhiman Shah (not out 9) steered the powermen to the victory podium.

All-rounder Harkrishan Kali of AIECB (166 runs in five innings and twice not out, six wickets) richly deserved the Man of the Tournament Award.

Other best players of the tournament were: Man of the match: Basant Mohanty.

Best batsman: Gurinder Saini (Professional CC) Best bowler: Basant Mohanty (AIECB).

Best fielder: Sanjay Mahajan (Professional CC).

Maximum sixes in final: Prabhjot Singh (AIECB).

Maximum boundaries in final: Surinder Saini (Professional CC).' Best wicketkeeper: Bageshwar Bisht.

UNI