“BMW car to each player & 1 Cr cash reward to team” – HCA president’s big promise if Hyderabad win Elite Ranji Trophy in 3 years
Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president Jagan Mohan Rao Arsihnapally has made huge promises as the state qualified for the Elite Ranji Trophy group. That came as Hyderabad won all their games, including the final, in the plate division to qualify for the Elite level.
Hyderabad topped the points table in the plate division and then beat Meghalaya by five wickets in the final on Saturday, February 17. By reaching the final, both teams qualified for the next season’s elite groups in the illustrious tournament.
The turnaround comes a year after Hyderabad were relegated to the plate division after managing a solitary win in seven league-stage games at the Elite level year.
Sharing an Instagram story on Tuesday (February 20), Jagan Mohan Rao wrote:
“BMW CAR TO EACH PLAYER & 1 Cr cash reward to team. If the team wins the Ranji Elite Trophy in next 3 years.”
For the unversed, Hyderabad have won Ranji Trophy twice in 1937/38 and 1986/87. They have also finished as runners-ups three times in 1942-43, 1964-65, and 1999-2000.
Hyderabad beat Meghalaya by 5 wickets in Plate division Ranji Trophy final
A clinical all-round display helped Hyderabad beat Meghalaya by five wickets in the plate division Ranji Trophy final on Saturday.
Batting first, Meghalaya put up 304 in their first innings. Raj Biswa and Akash Choudhary starred with the bat, scoring 64 (48) and 50 (57), respectively. Tanay Thyagarajan emerged as the pick of Hyderabad bowlers, bagging a fifer, while Rohit Rayudu bagged three wickets.
In response, Hyderabad posted 350 in their first innings, thanks to centuries from K Nitesh Reddy and Pragnay Reddy. Nitesh scored 122 off 194, hitting four sixes and 13 boundaries. Pragnay hit 102 off 141, with the help of one maximum and 11 boundaries. Chengkam Sangma, Akash Choudhary and Ram Gurung shared three wickets apiece for Meghalaya.
In the second innings, Meghalaya scored 243, courtesy of a century from Raj Biswa, who scored 100 off 114, in an innings laced with four sixes and 11 boundaries. Jaskirat Singh contributed 81 off 157, comprising two sixes and 10 boundaries.
Tanay Thygarajan once again bagged a five-wicket haul for Hyderabad, while Rohit Rayudu picked up two wickets.
Chasing 198, Hyderabad won the game by five wickets. Captain Tilak Varma and Gahlaut Rahul Singh chipped in with 64 (50) and 62 (40), respectively.