4th MNCA Luwangpokpa T20 Trophy : Rojit, Shanker lead MPSC to third straight victory; PSC, SHADOW post thrilling wins
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 27 2023: MPSC-Manipur Central Jail climbed atop Group C table with a 7 wicket thrashing of UCC-Uripok Khaidem Leikai for the third straight victory in the ongoing 4th MNCA Luwangpokpa T20 Trophy.

Winning the toss at Lairenjam Public Ground, UCC opted to bat first but ended up adding 123/8 to their tally as Oinam Rojit of MPSC produced a stellar bowling performance and MPSC cruised to the winning 126 within 18.1 overs with 7 wickets left to spare courtesy a unbeaten knock of 53-ball 68 from Sarangthem Shangker.

After Oinam Rojit removed Tamarjit on 9-ball duck for the first wicket, UCC saw a significant 63-run second wicket partnership between Leishangthem Bishorjit (52 off ) and Bicky Kumar Das (38 off 23) .

4th MNCA Luwangpokpa T20 Trophy

Things went downhill as UCC slipped to 71/3 in 12 overs as Bicky got run out and Thangjam Anson was bowled out by Indraban Koijam after adding 11 runs.

Leishangthem Bishorjit held on till Oinam Rojit dismissed him on 52 for the fourth wicket as the scoreboard read 111 after 17.3 overs and Gelson Thoudam removed N Komol for 11 runs to reduce UCC to 120/5 after 19 overs.

Oinam Rojit then bowled out Konsam Gulson 7 and Kumarjit Mutum 0 in the first and the fourth delivery of the last over to finish with the best bowling figures of 4/30 in 4 overs.

In the chase, MPSC lost the top three orders within 7.1 overs but Sarangthem Shangker blasted off 11 fours and 1 six on the way to his 68 off 53 deliveries to steer MPSC to winning 126 with Soubam Kingson 36 not out (off 29 balls; 3 fours and 1 six) for the unbeaten fourth wicket partnership.

Oinam Rojit was adjudged man of the match.

At Khangabok Cherapur Public Ground, RCA-Lilong defeated SSU-Singjamei Kakwa by 5 wickets for the second group A victory in three matches.

SSU, who opted to bat first, were bowled out for 117 runs in 19.1 overs with Zamir Khan 3/30, Zuned 2/17 and Salim 2/18 of RCA sharing a bulk of 7 crucial wickets with ease.

RCA then chased down the target in 18.5 overs riding on a 52-run first wicket partnership between Md Imran Khan 33 and Md Anush 28 and significant contributions from Alfash Kaif 23 and Md Saad 21 not out.

For SSU, Robertson Th 21 and Anand Mangang 19 were the main run getters while S Doughlas finished with bowling figures of 2/14 in RCA innings.

Meanwhile, SHADOW-Thangmeiband handed MPA third Group C loss at Moijing Public Ground by sealing a narrow 4 wicket win.

SHADOW were restricted to 114/6 after opting to bat first despite Md Aslam's 31 and Reolin's quick 29 as Vivekraj Chabungbam of MPSC wreaked havoc by securing a 4-wicket haul (4/10 in 4 overs).

SHADOW bowlers however put in exemplary bowling performances to bowl out MPA for 110 in 19.1 overs.

MPA got off to a sloppy start in the chase and were reduced to 19/3 in 5.4 overs as Rahul Kumar cleaned up the top three batters.

MPA continued to slip to 37/5 in 8 overs but Elangbam Rohit who came in at 5 resurrected the innings by clobbering 7 fours and 4 sixes en route to his 38-ball 67 .

Rohit however he holed out to Rahul Kumar off the Sagatpam Lanchenba's second delivery of the 18th over for the 9th wicket when the team was 8 runs away from the victory.

Vivekraj (0 not out) and Raneshwar Thounaojam (1 off 11 deliveries) had the task to complete the chase in 16 deliveries but squandered the chance for the win as they could add three runs in 10 deliveries before Raneshwar was bowled out by RK Nishikanta in the first delivery of the last over.

Rahul Kumar who gave MPA nightmarish start with his prolific bowling was adjudged man of the match.

Elsewhere at Luwangpokpa Cricket Stadium, FORCE secured their second win in three matches by beating YWC-Patsoi by 6 wickets.

Laikhuram Jagat scored a 65-ball 64 to help YWC-P gather 102 runs for 7 wickets after they won the toss and opted to bat first.

FORCE then rode on Md Islauddin, Saddam Ahmed Shah 24 and M Kabir's unbeaten 20 to ease to winning 106 with 6 wickets left to spare.

Md Kabir Ahmed who enjoyed a three wicket haul (3/16 in 3 overs) to help FORCE hold YWC-P to a meagre total before adding 20 in the chase was adjudged man of the match.

The Group D match between PSC-Khuyathong and OSCAR-Paona Bazar staged at Model Hr Sec and Oriental College ground also ended in a thriller as PSC's meagre total of 86 runs proved big for OSCAR who were bundled out for 85 runs in 18.1 overs.

Opting to bat first, PSC collected 86/9 as OSCAR bowlers were returned very economical.

L Devwart with unbeaten 40 off 48 deliveries was the highest run getter for PSC in their innings which saw Pawankumar Wahengbam (2/12 in 3 overs) and Nongmaithem (2/6 in 3 overs) leading the bowling attack.

In reply, Laishram Devwart ran riot by removing Thomas Maisnam 16, N Bijendro 16 and Boocker Kangjam 25 before Chandreshwar (2/20 in 4 overs) broke the backbone of the OSCAR line up by dismissing Ringku Kangujam and Lann Naorem 12 and reduced them to 78/6 in 15 overs.

OSCAR needed just 9 runs in 5 overs with four wickets left to spare but they failed to capitalize on the chance with S Samson getting run out for the 7th wicket and Ibungomacha (2/25 in 3 overs) leaving further dent by removing Pinshiba Laishram 3 and Zenith Nongmaithem 0 in the 2nd and the 3rd deliveries of the the 18th over to make it 85/9 .

OSCAR needed only two runs to win from 15 balls but Pursaraj Nongmaithem got run out in the first delivery of the 19th over to suffer a heartbreaking loss.

L Devwart who shone with both the bat and ball for PSC was eventually adjudged man of the match.