NPCA T20 League: Champions Kanbis make winning start
Kanbis Sports Club "A" captain Dhiren "Tom tom" Gondari (left) plays a delivery during their Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) 50 Overs Super League match against Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj (SCLPS) “A” at Shree Ctuchi Leva Samaj Patel School cricket ground in Nairobi West on October 23, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Both Eugene Meno and Singh Pannu were instrumental in Sir Ali’s win over Ruaraka with 60 and 67 runs respectively.
- Sir Ali posted 172 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their innings after winning the toss and electing to bat first.
Defending champions Kanbis Sports Club ‘A’ Sunday got their title defence underway with a 38 runs win against Nairobi Gymkhana ‘A’ as the 2023 Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association (NPCA) T20 League got underway.
Ruaraka Sports Club ‘A’ fell by 32 runs to Sir Ali Muslim Club ‘A’ at Ruaraka Sports Club, while Swamibapa Sports Club ‘A’ thrashed Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj (SCLPS) ‘A’ by eight wickets at Jaffery Sports Club.
Sikh Union ‘A’ thrashed Obuya Academy ‘A’ by nine wickets at Sikh Union Club.
At Eastleigh High School, Top order batsman Rakep Patel's impressive 92 runs, which included 14 fours and two sixes off 48 balls, helped the holders to victory.
Kanbis, who lifted the 2022/23 NPCA Super 50 Overs League title, won the toss and elected to bat first, setting a target of 163 runs all-out in their innings.
Gymkhana posted 125 all-out in their innings.
Kanbis captain Sachin Bhudia was full of praise to Rakep, who came in as third batsman, after opener Narendra Patel was bowled-out by Lucas Oluoch in the first over.
Narendra managed just four runs during his short stint on the crease.
It was Oluoch who ended Rakep’s march to a century when he caught him off Amish Amin’s bowling in the 15th over.
Lower-order batsman Martin Okoth delivered the most runs for Gymkhana at 40 including two fours and four sixes from 23 balls.
Gymkhana’s Joseph Onyango and Kanbis’s Nischay Kerai took the match’s most wickets at three each.
“I am happy we picked from where we left off. We will go game by game. Our batting and bowling is balanced so we need to maintain ourselves and keep the standard high,” said Bhudia.
Both Eugene Meno and Singh Pannu were instrumental in Sir Ali’s win over Ruaraka with 60 and 67 runs respectively.
Sir Ali posted 172 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their innings after winning the toss and electing to bat first.
In their chase, Ruaraka hit 140 runs for the loss of six wickets in their innings.
Opener Rushab Patel was not-out in Swamibapa’s resounding victory over SCPLS.
He slammed 58 runs from 47 deliveries with three fours and three sixes, helping Swamibapa carry the day with 113 runs for the loss of two wickets in their innings.
SCPLS, who won the toss and elected to bat first, had set a low target of 112 all-out in their innings.
