5th MNCA Luwangpokpa T-20 Trophy : TRAU beat RCA in super over thriller to set up final date with CYCLONE
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 01 2025: TRAU, Kwakeithel defeated RCA, Lilong by 8 runs in super over to set up the final date with CYCLONE, Thangmeiband in the 5th MNCA Luwangpokpa T-20 Trophy.

In an entertaining semifinal match staged at Khangabok Cherapur Public Ground, TRAU failed to surpass 111 runs with 4 wickets left in the hand in allotted 20 overs after RCA added the same score for 9 wickets.

TRAU however posted 16 runs for no loss in the super over and restricted RCA to 8/1 to seal the 8 run victory and set up the final date with CYCLONE, Thangmeiband who defeated REYS, Khwai Nagamapal Lamabam Leikai by 41 runs in another semifinal match at Moijing Public Ground.

TRAU vs RCA

RCA, who won the toss and opted to bat started wobbly and were reduced to 18/4 in 7.3 overs with Anoubam Puinachandra of TRAU inflicting major damage by removing second and the third wickets.

TRAU bowlers kept the pressure intact and restricted RCA to 111/9 despite middle order efforts from Zamir Khan 25, Md Danish 23 and Syed Hussain 21.Puinachandra returned with the best figures of 3/13 in his spell of 4 overs for TRAU while Sanjenbam Somokanta (2/36) and skipper Kangabam Priyojit (2/23) shared four crucial wickets.

In reply, TRAU also did not have best of the start and slipped to 10/2 in 3.4 overs before Kangabam Priyojit teed off a 49-ball 63 to forge a major 88-run partnership off 83 balls with S Somokanta 24 off 40 to steady the chase.

Things went downhill with the departure of Priyojit at 98 for the third wicket in the 18th over to Md Danish Khan (2/11) who had earlier undone M Behul on a 4-ball duck for the first wicket.

TRAU needed only 2 runs in three balls when Thangjam Rishi got run out.

But to their disappointment, Somokanta holed out in the next delivery to Aziz Mirza off the bowling of Zuned who skillfully trapped incoming Puinachandra in the next delivery to complete his haul of two wickets.

With one ball left to play, incoming Mutum Swabhiman managed to gather one run off the Zuned's hattrick ball and the final delivery of the innings to stretch the game to super over.

In the super over, TRAU rode on valuable knocks from Pukhrambam Prafullomani 5 off 2 balls and Kangabam Priyojit 10 off 4 to gather 16 runs for no loss and defended their total by restricting RCA to 8/1 with Mutum Swabhiman getting rid of Naesh Hussain, who hit a maximum in the first delivery, in the third delivery.

RCA went out of contention as Syed Hussain and Zamir Khan could add only 1 run apiece in the following two balls before Swabhiman finished the over with a dot ball in the final delivery.

Kangabam Priyojit who starred with both the bat and ball was declared man of the match.

CYCLONE vs REYS

Meanwhile at Moijing Public Ground, CYCLONE were bundled out for 122 runs in 17.1 overs as G Dingku (4/16 in 3.1 overs), Yungkham Romario (3/24) and Md Basir Rahman (2/25) wreaked havoc but the Thangmeiband side defended their modest total as Laishram Kishan spun web around the opening and middle order batters of REYS to dismantle them for 81 runs in 13 overs.

Abdul Kalam 42 off 35 balls and Ningthoujam Thoiba 30 off 10 balls were the main run getters for CYCLONE after they elected to bat first while Yungkham Romario led the scoring for REYS by adding 32 off 18 balls before L Kishan returned with a haul of 5 wickets for 15 runs in 3 overs.

Md Aqeel also assisted Kishan by claiming 2 wickets (2/11) while Oinam Reolin and Nongthombam Denin chipped in with a wicket apiece.

L Kishan was adjudged man of the match.

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