MOHALI: Skipper Prashant Chopra led Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) to lift the Trident Cup for the 26th JP Atray Memorial Tournament, after handing a massive 75-run humiliation to Ranstar Cricket Club, Delhi in the rain-truncated final at the PCA Stadium here on Sunday.
Reduced to 20 overs-a-side due to the early morning showers, HPCA rode on Prashant's fluent 72 off 48 balls, laced with five hits to the fence and four over it, to set a commanding 175 for 3 after being put to bat.
The Himachal boys started on a cautious note, with both Prashant and fellow opener Shubham Negi negotiating the seamers well to fetch 84 runs for the first wicket. While Prashant was happy to play the waiting game, Shubham was in an element of his own, yielding 35 off 36 balls before departing. Prashant, however, carried on and raised 40 runs with new man Ekant Sen, who looked in fine touch during his brief 15-ball stay that produced 20 runs.
Prashant gradually sensed the urgency and stepped on the accelerator to bring up his half century, and together with Nitin Sharma's breezy 33 off 18 deliveries, ensured their side record a challenging total. For Ranstar CC, Rahul Chaudhary took 2 while Pradeep Parashar picked one.
In reply, the Ranstar Cricket Club were off to a miserable start, losing two wickets in the very first over. Up against a disciplined HPCA bowling, led by Naveen Kanwar (3/15) and Ayush Jamwal (3/28), the rest of the batting also began to collapse. Such was the fury of the opposition bowlers that only two of the RCC batters managed to reach the double digits. Pradeep Malik scored 26 runs off 11 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes while Sumeet Verma scored 36 off 28 balls that included a four and a couple of sixes, before the team was skittled out for 100 in 15.2 overs.
Besides, Naveen and Ayush's three wicket hauls, Vipin Sharma picked two while Akash Vashisht chipped in with a wicket.
The winners were presented the Trident Cup trophy and a cash award of Rs 2 lakh by Punjab minister OP Soni. The runners-up team was awarded Rs 1 lakh and the trophy. Former Punjab DGP Chandra Shekhar, PCA treasurer RP Singla, convenor Vivek Atray and organizing secretary Sushil Kapoor were present on the occasion.
