Amritsar Soormas turned on the all-round show to register their maiden victory in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League, defeating Ludhiana Lions by eight wickets in the final match at IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Sunday night. Chasing the 142 set by Ludhiana Lions in 20 overs, Amritsar reached their target of 144/2 in just 16.4 overs.
The victory came flying in for the Soormas, as they had 20 balls to spare to win the league, with Sahaj Dhawan staying steady at the crease with an unbeaten 63 off 53 deliveries. Naman Dhir, who opened the innings, knocked out 29 off a mere 12 balls with 4 sixes to his name, while Rahul Kumar remained unbeaten at 42 off 30 deliveries to finish off the job.
Mayank Markande, Naman Dhir Lead Amritsar Soormas To Title
The platform of Amritsar's emphatic victory was built by their bowlers, who kept the Ludhiana batting line-up constantly on the back foot. The Lions were always under pressure, and eventually, they drew up on a below-par 142/20.
Mayank Markande was the standout bowler on the big stage as the leg-spinner returned with a handy 3/17 to play a vital role in restricting Ludhiana to a competitive total. His match-winning bowling in the final saw Markande named Player of the Match in the final.
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Whilst Markande was playing his part at the bowling end, Naman Dhir's heroics with the bat throughout the tournament propelled Amritsar to title success. The Soormas captain was named as the Player of the Series after electrifying performances in his innings.
Dhir's most special knock came during the league stage where he launched a stunning 173 off 64 balls. He followed it up with an equally thrilling 91 off 37 balls to propel Amritsar into the final during the semi-final clash.
His ability to accelerate the innings and provide his side with a blazing start proved to be the key ingredient to Soormas' success in the tournament. Along with a disciplined bowling attack, it provided the Soormas with the ideal mix to drive towards victory.
Amritsar Soormas were once again perfect in the final, as their bowlers kept Ludhiana to a modest total. Dhawan, Dhir and Rahul Kumar then ensured that the chase was never a thriller as they eased towards the target with 20 balls remaining to complete an eight-wicket victory etching their name into history as the first-ever Sher-E-Punjab T20 League champions.