Two centuries in a T20 cricket match are rare but the first semifinal match of the HotelDevoteeSPACupInter-College Cricket Tournament between the host Sudur Paschimanchal Academy (SPA) and Pentagon International featured them.
Subendu Pandey scored century to guide the host SPA to 182/4 in allotted 20 overs but former national team player Mehboob Aalam clobbered 102 runs to overshadow the former and guide Pentagon to a six-wicket victory in 15.4 overs.
Aalam faced 40 balls and struck seven boundaries and 10 sixes. Aalam reached the 100-mark off only just 38 balls and was adjudged man-of-the-match. Aalam received Rs 5,000 from the organizers while former volleyball player Jagadish Bhatta handed over Rs 2,000 from his personal account to applaud the entertaining performance.
Mehboob Aalam waves his bat after scoring century.
(Photo Courtesy: Mahesh Shah)
Aalam and Hasim Ansari, who opened the Pentagon innings, put up 119-runs partnership within seven overs. Hasim scored 31 runs off 21 balls including three boundaries and two sixes. Binod Lama gave away 37 runs in a single over as he gave away few extras and Alam clobbered four sixes and a boundary.
Naresh Budhaair added eight runs while Pushpa Thapa scored 12 runs. Mahesh Chhetri (two runs) and Santosh Bhatta (four runs) remained unbeaten. Bhuwan Karki, Bikash Bam, Prakash Khadka and Nischal Thapa claimed a wicket each.
Earlier, Subendu Pandey blasted 110 runs off 61 balls to guide SPA to 182/4. Pandey, who completed half-century facing 31 balls, played another 23 balls to reach the three-digit score. He struck seven boundaries and 10 sixes.
Subendu Pandey plays a shot during the SPA Cup semifinal against Pentagon. (Photo Courtesy: Mahesh Shah)
Pandey put up a 117-run first wicket partnership with Jeevan Sunar. It was the first centurion partnership in the history of the tournament. Sunar scored 25 runs off 35 balls. Pankaj Kunwar added 21 runs off 13 balls including two boundaries and a six. Hasim Ansari dismissed two SPA batsmen while Santosh Bhatta and Naresh Budhaair took a wicket each.
Pentagon will take on defending champion NASA International in the final on Tuesday.
Defending champion NASA edged past Mahendra Namuna Higher Secondary, Dadeldhura by 38 runs on Monday evening.
NASA put up 182/9 in allotted 20 overs as man-of-the-match Rahul Singh scored 76 runs. Mahendra Namuna could manage only 144/8 in 20 overs.
Nepal Sports Journalist Forum (NSJF) President Niranjan Rajbanshi hands over award to the man-of-the-match Rahul Singh after the semifinal match between NASA and Mahendra Namuna.
NASA lost captain Subash Pradhan (four runs) in the first over and Abhay Paudel (naught) in the next over but Singh anchored the innings. Singh faced 48 balls and struck seven boundaries and four sixes. He put up a 67-run partnership for the third wicket with Mukesh Singh (26 runs off 27 balls). No 9 Bibek Jha chipped in with 30 runs off 13 balls. Jha struck three sixes and a boundary. Rajbindra Singh, Niraj Rawal and Surendra Chand claimed two wickets each while Bikram Sob claimed a wicket.
Dilip Nath blasted 46 runs off 41 balls for Mahendra Namuna but it was not enough to avoid defeat. Surendra Chand (29 runs), Bikram Sob (21 runs) and Dipendra Chand (14 runs) were the other contributors.
Suresh Guragain dismissed three NASA batsmen while Lal Bahadur Adhikari claimed two wickets.