2018 Deodhar Trophy: Shreyas Iyer's whirlwind knock in vain as India C crowned Champions
Thanks to centuries from skipper Ajinkya Rahane and his opening partner Ishan Kishan, India C managed to weather the Shreyas storm as they beat India B by 29 runs in the final of the 2018 Deodhar Trophy at the Ferozeshah Kotla in New Delhi.
After choosing to bat first, Rahane and Ishan gave India C a great start as they put on 210 for the opening wicket. Ishan started off his innings on a cautious note as he was batting on just six of his first 31 balls and that's when he took things in his own hands and sent the India B bowlers on a leather hunt.
He scored 108 runs off his next 55 balls before he was dismissed by Jaydev Unadkat for an 87-ball 114 which had eleven fours and six sixes in it. Rahane, who was playing the anchor's role while Ishan was setting the stage on fire, took things in his own hands after the dismissal of Ishan as he reached his own century off 121 balls. Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav gave him some company by scoring 26 and an 18-ball 39 respectively.
The skipper led from the front and ensured that his team crossed the 350-run mark with an unbeaten 144 off 156 balls with the help of nine fours and three sixes. Unadkat was the pick of the bowlers as he finished with figures of 3/52 in his 10 overs.
Chasing 353, India B lost the wicket of the dangerous Mayank Agarwal early. Skipper Shreyas Iyer joined Rituraj Gaikwad in the middle and the duo put on a 116-run stand for the second wicket before Gaikwad was dismissed for 60. After getting off the blocks slowly, Shreyas demonstrated what he is capable of as he kept smashing the India C bowlers all over the park.
He reached his century off 80 balls but kept losing his batting partners as the veteran duo of Hanuma Vihari and Manoj Tiwary were dismissed cheaply. Ankush Bains tried to give him some support from the other end but Pappu Roy sent him back for 37. Shreyas continued his assault as he kept attack and when he was dismissed by Rahul Chahar for 148 off 114 balls with the help of 11 fours and eight sixes, it was all but over for his team.
Deepak Chahar tried to delay the inevitable but he couldn't take his team past the finish line as India B were dismissed for 323. Pappu Roy was the wrecker-in-chief as he took three wickets and was well supported by the pace bowling trio of Navdeep Saini, Rajneesh Gurbani and Vijay Shankar who took two wickets apiece.
Brief score: India C 352/7 in 50 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 144*, Ishan Kishan 114, Suryakumar Yadav 39, Jaydev Unadkat 3/52) beat India B 323 in 46. overs (Shreyas Iyer 148, Rituraj Gaikwad 60, Pappu Roy 3/75) by 29 runs.