Vijay Hazare Trophy, Final: RP Singh, Bumrah floors Delhi to win the final

RP Singh and Jasprit Bumrah shared eight wickets between them and shattered Delhi’s hope by winning the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2015 in emphatic fashion. Gujarat never let Delhi off the hook, and that resulted in a major collapse.

The day started with Delhi winning the toss and deciding to field with an unchanged line-up while Gujarat made two changes in the form of Karan Patel and Indian pacer RP Singh. Skipper Parthiv Patel started the proceedings for Gujarat in an impressive manner by finding the gaps early in his innings. He moved across to time one between square leg and midwicket, whereas flicking the loose one with ease. Navdeep Saini got the first breakthrough for Delhi, courtesy a good length ball that was dragged back by Priyank Panchal at the last moment.

Rujul Bhatt and Patel kept on milking the poor deliveries and playing cautiously on the run. Patel brought up his half century in just 60 balls, along with four boundaries. He was a tad lucky to carry on, as Manan Sharma missed a caught and bowl opportunity in the 24th over of Gujarat’s innings. Bhatt gradually build his innings under the shadow of his skipper, reaching fifty in 63 balls.

Patel displayed his large array of strokes and kept the bowlers at bay. He got down on one knee and slogged Milind Kumar to the deepish square leg to fetch two vital runs that resulted in his maiden List-A hundred. With both batsmen well settled at the crease, Gujarat were eyeing a big total, but soon Nitish Rana broke the solid stand by dismissing Bhatt for 60. Patel soon followed the suit after Negi bowled a beauty. He came round the wicket and pitched the ball flat and touch quicker on the off stump, it didn’t turn away and came in with good bounce to castle Patel’s stump.

Gujarat lost four vital wickets in a span of 30 runs, as Delhi came back in the fray after being virtually out, all thanks to the 149-run stand between Patel and Rana. Chirag Gandhi’s 39-ball 44 and Rush Kalaria’s 21 runs helped Gujarat post a competitive 273 on the board. The Delhi bowlers were impressive at the death overs, and they were well supported by some safe hands at the ropes.

Chasing 274, Delhi lost both their openers cheaply to R.P. Singh. Shikhar Dhawan was kept in check by some fine bowling from Singh. He tried breaking the shackles but found Juneja at short cover. Delhi could have been in a spot of bother at 23/3 but Unmukt Chand was lucky to be dropped at first slip. Delhi couldn’t breathe easy, as skipper Gautam Gambhir edged one to Bhatt at first slip again, this time, the fielder making no mistake.

Kalaria was unfortunate not pick up Chand’s scalp, but he did well to keep the batsman on mute mode. RP Singh on the other hand kept bowling the nagging line, getting the ball in and bowling a tight line on most occasions. He was rewarded with another wicket in the face of Milind Kumar. The ball kept straight and trapped the batsman playing across.

Delhi kept losing wickets at regular interval. Jasprit Bumrah joined the party soon and picked up the big wicket of Unmukt Chand. Pawan Negi turned out to be the lone warrior, as he witnessed wickets falling like a pack of cards at the other end. Negi slammed three boundaries in a Bumrah’s over, but the going looked tough, with Delhi having lost nine wickets without much to show on the board.

He whacked a six off Axar Patel’s next over to bring up a fighting half-century off just 39 deliveries. Gujarat could have wrapped the game in the same over but Negi’s slog sweep found no taker, as the ball spilled out of the fielder’s hand. The drama finally came to an end after Negi slapped the ball towards mid-off, Bhargav Merai did no mistake, and Gujarat finally had their hands on the cup. A 139 runs victory speaks volume about Gujarat’s dominance while Delhi will be disappointed, losing the final battle after putting up with some clinical performances during the tournament.

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