Dhawan's heroic 99 in vain as DY Patil Blue lose to CAG

In a thrilling showdown at the DY Patil T20 Cup, seasoned Indian batter Shikhar Dhawan showcased his class with an unbeaten 99, lighting up the stadium with eight boundaries and six massive sixes.

Despite his heroic effort, DY Patil Blue faced a formidable challenge from CAG, ultimately losing by six wickets in a gripping quarterfinal clash.

The 38-year-old, who last donned the Indian colors during the 2022 ODI series in Bangladesh, carried his bat through the innings, steering Blue to a competitive total of 182 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs.

Dhawan's masterclass, coupled with a 52-run opening partnership with Abhijit Tomar, set the stage for a thrilling encounter at the DY Patil Stadium.

However, CAG had other plans, as they successfully chased down the target, reaching 185 for four in 19.1 overs.

Opener Varun Lavande's impressive 73 and Sanveer Singh's quickfire 45 proved instrumental in their victory. Despite wickets falling around Dhawan, CAG's bowlers, led by Sanveer Singh (2/30) and Writwick Chatterjee (2/23), managed to keep the pressure on DY Patil Blue.

Meanwhile, at the DY Patil University Ground, Tata Sports Club showcased a dominant performance, defeating Indian Oil by 60 runs in the quarterfinals, securing their spot in the highly anticipated semifinals.