Juneja sets up Gujarat's summit date with Punjab

Left-hander Manprit Juneja smashed an unbeaten 108 as Gujarat thrashed Kerala by 90 runs to set up title date with Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 championship in Indore.

Juneja produced a sensational exhibition of strokeplay as he struck 16 fours and three sixes in his 50-ball knock to help Gujarat score 233 for three after they were put into bat in the Group A match at Emerald High School Ground.

Chasing the huge target, Kerala were bundled out for 143 in 19.1 overs.

With four points from Saturday’s match, Gujarat topped Group A and they face Punjab in the summit clash. Punjab beat Uttar Pradesh by 51 runs in another match to top Group B.

Kerala captain Sachin Baby must have rued his decision to put the opposition in though it seemed that his gamble would pay dividends as Gujarat were struggling at 31 for three in the fifth over.

But Juneja and Abdulahad Malik (84 not out)turned the match on its head with an unbroken partnership of 202 runs from 15.4 overs for the fourth wicket.

Malik was no less aggressive than Juneja as his unbeaten 84 came from just 46 balls with the help of nine fours and three sixes.

The duo batted as if they were competing against each other in a contest of clearing the fence as the Kerala bowlers were sent for a leather hunt.

hasing the huge target, Kerala lost early wickets but were still in the match till the 11th over when they were 97 for three. But the dismissal of their captain Sachin Baby (14) in that over triggered a batting collapse and they were bundled out for 143 in 19.1 overs.

For Gujarat, pacer Mehul Patel and off-spinner Jesal Karia took three wickets each while Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Dahiya chipped in with a wicket each.

Sent into bat, Punjab rode on Gurkeerat Singh's unbeaten 93 to post 161 for the loss of five wickets in their allotted 20 overs against UP.

Defending the total, leg-spinner Rahul Sharma returned with figures of four for 34 while Sandeep Sharma (2/6), Amitoze Singh (2/25) and Rajwinder Singh (2/36) shared six wickets between them to bowl out UP for 110 in 16.4 overs.

Meanwhile, in the two inconsequential matches of the day, Delhi beat Vidharbha by five wickets in Group A while Baroda defeated Karnataka by five wickets in Group B.