Swamibapa beat Lions to retain T20 league title
What you need to know:
- Swamibapa’s dependable batsman, Naman Patel shone with the bat on Sunday, knocking a quick half a century to in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association Twenty20 final to help his team beat Stray Lions by six wickets and retain the title.
- Patel’s 78 runs came off 48 deliveries with nine boundaries and three big sixes in the match played at Sikh Union Grounds.
- He was Swamibapa’s highest runs getter.
Swamibapa’s dependable batsman, Naman Patel shone with the bat on Sunday, knocking a quick half a century to in the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association Twenty20 final to help his team beat Stray Lions by six wickets and retain the title.
Patel’s 78 runs came off 48 deliveries with nine boundaries and three big sixes in the match played at Sikh Union Grounds. He was Swamibapa’s highest runs getter.
Batting first, the Lions set a target of 142 for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Manoj Sai Vemula top-scored for the Lions with 71 off 46 balls with 11 boundaries and a six.
The Lions suffered a major upset when their match winning batsman, Abraham Vadada, who opened batting for the side was dismissed by Lameck Onyango (1/28). Onyango had Vadada caught by Naman Patel for three with a score of seven runs showing on the scoreboard.
SECOND WICKET PATNERSHIP
However, Manoj Sai Vemula (71 off 46 balls with 11 boundaries and a six), who replaced Vadada at the crease shared a second wicket partnership of 55 with Shyam Sundar (26 off 25 balls with four boundaries).
The best stand for the side. Neil Narvekar (11 off 12 balls) was the only other Lion’s batsman, who posted double digit figures on the scoreboard. Saumil Patel (2/18) and Nehemiah Odhiambo (2/31) were the other wicket takers for Swamibapa.
In reply, Swamibapa, 144 reached the target with six wickets and 12 balls in hand. Swamibapa started their innings on wrong footing when their opening batsman, Nicholas Oluoch, was clean-bowled by Shem Ngoche (1/16) for a single run with a score of four showing on the board.
Oluoch’s opening partner, Alex Obanda was trapped leg before wicket for three by Hiren Varaiya (1/30).
At one point Swamibapa were deep in the woods with a score of 47 for three in 6.4 overs. But Naman batted intelligently. He shared a fourth wicket stand of 71 with Morris Ouma, who was unbeaten on 31 off 27 balls with a four and two towering sixes.
It was the best partnership for the side. The partnership was broken when Naman was caught by Collins Obuya off the bowling of Shyam (1/11).
Swamibapa were seen through by Ouma, who shared a winning fifth wicket partnership of 26 with Saumil Patel (11 not out off 8 balls with two boundaries).
