92/0 (6.4)
CR : 13.80
91/6 (8.0)
CR : 11.38
Meerut Mavericks won by 10 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Zeeshan Ansari
4/10
Dependable Bowler of the Match: Zeeshan Ansari
Catch of the Match: Zeeshan Ansari
Fantastic Fours of the Match: Swastik Chikara
Maximum Sixes of the Match: Swastik Chikara
Rinku Singh (Meerut Mavericks Captain): "(Be it a 20-over game, be it a curtailed game, no issue for you guys) I will not say that it does not bring any problem. Because it was not easy to bowl for the earlier rain. They made a good score which was tough for us to chase.
(Did you ever do an 8-over simulation?) Never. I mostly prepare for batting in those two-three over phases.
(You have a lot of bats. Anybody wanted a bat from you here?) Yes a lot of people want, but I have only four bats and unable to give now.
(It was good for you as a batting unit) Quite a good day. Zeeshan bowled very well. I said earlier that if Chikara gives us the start, we will win.
(Did you tell Zeeshan to bowl economical and offer more flight?) In 8-over games, batters think they have a very little time and they go for hitting the ball hard. Bowlers have to bowl flatter, quicker and mixed deliveries. That is what happened with Zeeshan.
(On his cameo) When 36 was required from 18 balls, we had to pick one over and that is what we did.
(Do you get enough time for practice?) No we are not getting a lot of times for practice, because it is raining a lot and we have to play back-to-back games. Batters are in touch."
(Did you ever do an 8-over simulation?) Never. I mostly prepare for batting in those two-three over phases.
(You have a lot of bats. Anybody wanted a bat from you here?) Yes a lot of people want, but I have only four bats and unable to give now.
(It was good for you as a batting unit) Quite a good day. Zeeshan bowled very well. I said earlier that if Chikara gives us the start, we will win.
(Did you tell Zeeshan to bowl economical and offer more flight?) In 8-over games, batters think they have a very little time and they go for hitting the ball hard. Bowlers have to bowl flatter, quicker and mixed deliveries. That is what happened with Zeeshan.
(On his cameo) When 36 was required from 18 balls, we had to pick one over and that is what we did.
(Do you get enough time for practice?) No we are not getting a lot of times for practice, because it is raining a lot and we have to play back-to-back games. Batters are in touch."
Player of the Match: Zeeshan Ansari
Zeeshan Ansari (Meerut Mavericks): "(On his performance) I'm very happy. It felt good to do something like that for the team. And the things I had planned also worked in my favour. I bowled slower deliveries and tried to bowl in one particular area, and those things worked out for me. So, it was a really good day for me.
(Do you enjoy bowling against a defensive batter or an attacking one?) Both, actually. It's not like if the batter is defending, I try to build more pressure, and if he's attacking, I think about bowling more defensively. I enjoy both situations. It's a mix; there's no particular preference.
(On deciding what variation to use) Sometimes I have to decide at the last moment because you can't always see exactly what the batter is going to do. And sometimes I go in with a plan—for example, if it's a left-hander, I think I have to bowl a googly. So, at times, I use it that way as well.
(On conversations with Rinku Singh) We've been playing together for many years, so he knows a lot about me, and I know him as well. He always tells me, "You are our wicket-taking bowler. Whenever you come on, I don't want you to just focus on stopping runs." The other bowlers will do that job. He tells me to come on and try to take wickets. If I get someone out, things become easier for the rest of the team."
(Do you enjoy bowling against a defensive batter or an attacking one?) Both, actually. It's not like if the batter is defending, I try to build more pressure, and if he's attacking, I think about bowling more defensively. I enjoy both situations. It's a mix; there's no particular preference.
(On deciding what variation to use) Sometimes I have to decide at the last moment because you can't always see exactly what the batter is going to do. And sometimes I go in with a plan—for example, if it's a left-hander, I think I have to bowl a googly. So, at times, I use it that way as well.
(On conversations with Rinku Singh) We've been playing together for many years, so he knows a lot about me, and I know him as well. He always tells me, "You are our wicket-taking bowler. Whenever you come on, I don't want you to just focus on stopping runs." The other bowlers will do that job. He tells me to come on and try to take wickets. If I get someone out, things become easier for the rest of the team."
What a fine performance by Meerut Mavericks in this rain-truncated fixture. The side needed to chase down 92 runs in 8 overs but they completed it in just 6.4 overs. Meerut Mavericks have registered 10-wicket win and this is their fifth win on the trot. They remain unbeaten this season and have become the first team to advance to the playoffs this season. Gorakhpur Lions have suffered their third defeat of the season and are at the fourth position in the points table.
Tomorrow (Aug 24), we have another double-header in UP T20. In the 17th fixture of UP T20, defending champions Kashi Rudras will take on the Lucknow Falcons in the afternoon (3 PM IST). Meanwhile, Noida Kings will lock horns with Gorakhpur Lions in the evening game (7:30 PM IST).
That's it from our live coverage of this fixture in UP T20 between Meerut Mavericks and Gorakhpur Lions. This is Mohammad Anab signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Saptak Sanyal, along with our scorer/analyst Sachin Yadav. Cheers.