UPT20 2023: Akshdeep Nath takes charge as Kanpur Superstars clinch second victory of the season

Kanpur, 4th September 2023: Kanpur Superstars secured their second victory of the ongoing UPT20 as they defeated the Gorakhpur Lions by 19 runs. Skipper Akshdeep Nath (53) led from the front with an immaculate half century, along with the support of Ansh Yadav (48) and a late innings surge from Sandeep Tomar (49*) to help Kanpur score 185/4. In the second innings Vineet Panwar (2/26) continued his good form while Jasmer Dhankar also picked up two wickets for Kanpur.  

Invited to bat first, the Kanpur Superstars lost Saurabh Dubey (20) early to Abdul Rahman, but only after he cracked four boundaries to help Kanpur post 46 runs within the powerplay. While Ansh Yadav (48) built his innings Abdul Rahman proceeded to pick up the essential wicket of the in-form Sameer Rizvi (5) as well. Skipper Akshdeep Nath (53) joined Ansh Yadav as the pair put on 33 runs in 33 balls before Ansh Yadav was dismissed by Sparsh, just two runs shy of his half century.  

Sandeep Tomar (49*) came out to bat with the score reading 91/3 in 12.4 overs as Kanpur were well behind a par score. However, Nath and Tomar flipped the script with an explosive partnership of 71 runs in 37 balls. Abdul Rahman returned to the attack in the 19th over to pick up Akshdeep Nath just as he completed his half century.  The final over of the innings saw 23 runs, with 17 of those runs struck by Sandeep Tomar to help Kanpur finish at 185/4. 

In response, Gorakhpur lost Ankit Rathi (4) as early as the fifth over, but captain Abhishek Goswami (41) consistently found the middle of his bat to help them finish the powerplay at 46/1. Goswami’s knock came to an end when he was scalped by Jasmer Dhankar in the ninth over. Soon after, Yashovardhan Singh (16) was also sent back to the pavilion by Jasmer Dhankar, leaving the Lions at 70/3 in 12 overs. 

Siddharth Yadav (82*) worked to relieve the pressure with several boundaries including two consecutive sixes off Jasmer Dhankar in the 14th over, while Sameer Chaudhary was run out in the 15th over. With the Lions needing 79 runs of the final 30 balls, the target proved unconquerable. Siddharth Yadav went onto bring up his 50 in 30 deliveries and even smashed three sixes in the final over, but the Gorakhpur Lions finished well short of their target at 166/6 to lose the match by 19 runs. 

Brief Scores 

Kanpur Superstars won by 19 runs 

Kanpur Superstars – 185/4 in 20 overs (Akshdeep Nath – 53 runs in 35 balls, Sandeep Tomar – 49* run in 24 balls, Ansh Yadav – 48 runs in 39 balls, Abdul Rahman – 3/22, Sparsh Jain – 1/22) 

Gorakhpur Lions – 166/6 in 20 overs (Siddharth Yadav – 82* runs in 41 balls, Abhishek Goswami – 41 runs in 31 balls, Yashovardhan Singh – 16 runs in 23 balls, Vineet Panwar – 2/26, Jasmer Dhankar – 2/44, Prashant Choudhary – 1/37)