Saurabh Rawat's magical knock steals show in Uttarakhand Premier League opener

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 16 : The Spring Elmas kicked off the 2024 Uttarakhand Premier League in style, securing a thrilling four-wicket victory over the Warriors in the tournament opener in Dehradun. Saurabh Rawat delivered a historic performance, making the opening match of the inaugural Uttarakhand Premier League an unforgettable event.
Chasing a sizable target of 177, the Haridwar team was struggling at 40/5 in the seventh over, making it appear as though the match was slipping away. However, Saurabh Rawat turned the game around with a stunning 49-ball 97*, leaving the crowd in awe.
Saurabh led the batting charge with a sensational innings, featuring 11 fours and 4 sixes, in an incredible display of power and precision.
At the start of their chase, Spring Elmas' batting was derailed by Deepak Kumar's double-wicket over, followed by Abhay Negi's own double-wicket haul. By the end of the Powerplay, they were reeling at 39/4 and lost another wicket at the start of the seventh over, with Negi adding to his tally.
Saurabh Rawat (No.5 batsman) and Saurav Chauhan (No.7) rescued the innings, putting together an impressive 81-run partnership after the shaky start. While Chauhan anchored the innings, Rawat played aggressively, leading the charge.
The game took another twist when the Warriors dismissed Saurav Chauhan, who was out for a 28-ball 26 in the 17th over, leaving Spring Elmas needing 56 runs from 22 balls.
Saurabh was then joined by Girish Rauturi, who struck a boundary off the first ball he faced, boosting confidence. The duo stayed focused, playing each shot with precision, ultimately leading Spring Elmas to a dramatic and unforgettable victory over the Warriors.
Earlier, Haridwar Spring Elmas' captain, Ravikumar Samarth, opted to bowl first, a decision that paid off with two early wickets. Left-arm pacer Prashant Bhati claimed the first wicket of the UPL, bowling Warriors' opener Vaibhav Bhatt for a three-ball duck. The breakthrough led to a second wicket for Spring Elmas, with Girish Rauturi dismissing No.3 batsman, Aanjaneya Suryavanshi, for a duck.
With the score at 13/2 after two overs, opener Sanskar Rawat steadied the Warriors' innings. He hit three consecutive fours off Rauturi, swinging the momentum in his team's favour. Sanskar continued his aggressive play, reaching a strike rate of 200 and taking the team to 58/2 after the Powerplay with a quickfire 18-ball 36.
However, the introduction of spin in the seventh over halted the Warriors' progress, as left-arm spinner Harman Singh claimed the key wicket of Sanskar (37 off 21 balls).
Warriors' captain Aditya Tare, with his wealth of experience, held one end but struggled to find consistent partnerships as wickets fell in the middle overs. Despite the setbacks, Tare delivered a composed and powerful innings, receiving late support from No.9 batsman Himanshu Bisht. The pair added an unbeaten 40 runs in the final 2.4 overs, lifting their team to a respectable total.
Tare top-scored with a blistering 41-ball 73*, which included four fours and five sixes, while Rauturi was Spring Elmas' standout bowler, finishing with figures of 3 for 31.
Monday's double-headers will see Haridwar Spring Elmas face Pithoragarh Hurricanes at 3 PM IST, while Dehradun Warriors will look for redemption against Nainital SG Pipers at 7:30 PM IST.