Ludhiana Lions reached the Sher-E-Punjab T20 final by beating Jalandhar Warriors by 17 runs. Captain Salil Arora's unbeaten 120 and a stunning six-wicket haul from Sahil Bhaskar were the key performances in the high-scoring thriller.
Ludhiana Lions booked their place in the final of the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League after defeating Jalandhar Warriors by 17 runs in a thrilling semi-final at the I.S. Bindra Stadium in Mohali, according to a press release. Captain Salil Arora led the way with a sensational unbeaten century before pacer Sahil Bhaskar produced a match-winning spell with six wickets to help Ludhiana defend their total of 220/5. Jalandhar, who looked well placed during their chase at one stage, were eventually restricted to 203/8 in 20 overs.
Arora's century powers Lions after early collapse
Ludhiana did not have the best of starts after being asked to bat first. Jalandhar's bowlers kept things tight and picked up wickets at regular intervals, leaving the Lions in trouble at 105/5.
Unbeaten 115-run stand turns the tide
With half the side back in the dressing room, Ludhiana needed someone to take responsibility and bat deep into the innings. Salil stepped up at exactly the right time. The captain joined hands with Madhav Pathania, and the pair completely changed the momentum of the innings.
Initially, the two batters focused on rebuilding the innings and avoiding any further damage. Once they settled in, however, they began to attack the Jalandhar bowlers. Salil found the gaps regularly and punished loose deliveries, while Pathania provided strong support at the other end.
The partnership grew rapidly as the Lions began to find boundaries in the final overs. Salil remained calm under pressure and played some excellent attacking strokes to take Ludhiana towards a big total. The pair added an unbeaten 115 runs for the sixth wicket, turning the game around in spectacular fashion. Salil eventually finished unbeaten on 120 off 56 balls, while Pathania contributed an unbeaten 42 off 22 balls. Their partnership helped Ludhiana finish on 220/5, giving Jalandhar a challenging target of 221.
For Jalandhar, Emanjot Singh Chahal was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/22 in four overs.
Bhaskar's fiery spell derails Jalandhar's chase
Jalandhar began their chase confidently, with openers Vishwanath Singh and Prabhsimran Singh putting together 61 runs for the first wicket. Vishwanath scored 27 off 20 balls before being dismissed, but Prabhsimran continued to keep the scoreboard moving.
The Jalandhar captain then found a good partner in Harjas Tandon. The two added 35 runs for the second wicket and kept the Warriors firmly in the contest. Prabhsimran eventually fell for a well-made 63 off 35 balls, but Harjas continued to attack the Ludhiana bowlers.
Six-wicket haul seals victory
At that stage, Jalandhar looked to be in a strong position and were building towards a successful chase. However, the game changed dramatically in the space of a few overs. With Jalandhar sitting at 154/3, the Warriors appeared to be in control. But pacer Sahil Bhaskar produced a sensational spell to completely change the course of the semi-final.
Harjas was dismissed for 38 off 21 balls, and Jalandhar soon lost three wickets in quick succession to slip from 154/3 to 155/5. Bhaskar was at the centre of the collapse. The pacer picked up three wickets in one over, putting Ludhiana firmly back in control.
He then returned to claim his fourth wicket when Jaswal took a brilliant catch at extra cover to dismiss Aryan, who scored 10 off five balls. Bhaskar was not done yet. He followed it up by bowling Abhinav Sharma for a first-ball duck, completing a five-wicket haul and leaving Jalandhar in serious trouble.
The pacer then thought he had completed a hat-trick when he trapped Sukhdeep in front of the stumps. The umpire initially raised his finger, but Sukhdeep opted for a review. The replay showed that the ball would have missed the stumps, resulting in the decision being overturned.
Although Bhaskar missed out on the hat-trick, he had already done enough damage to put Ludhiana in complete control. He finished with outstanding figures of 6/16 in four overs, playing a major role in restricting Jalandhar to 203/8.
With that, Ludhiana Lions sealed a 17-run victory and secured their place in the final at the I.S. Bindra Stadium, which has hosted international fixtures in the past. Salil's unbeaten 120 provided the foundation, but Bhaskar's sensational six-wicket spell ensured that the Lions completed the job. The combination of the captain's brilliant century and a match-winning bowling performance under pressure proved decisive in a thrilling semi-final.
Ludhiana will now turn their attention to the final against Amritsar Soormas on Sunday. Notably, both teams that have made it to the final have done so without the services of their marquee players, with Arshdeep Singh and Abhishek Sharma away on national duty.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)