It took less than 16 overs for Rann Star Cricket Academy to coast to a resounding six-wicket win over Players Cricket Academy in the Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament on Wednesday.
The man who made such a quick chase possible was right-handed opening batsman Sarthak Ranjan. He hit 117 runs off 44 balls with eight sixes and 16 fours in the innings.
“I know only one way to bat. I have been playing like this for quite some time now. The shots kept getting connected and I just kept scoring. Whenever I feel I am in full flow, I play my shots. If I am in rhythm, it works,” said the 26-year-old Ranjan, who started playing for Maulana Azad Cricket Club in Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) league before switching to Rann Star. He has been playing for the club for the last five years.
Earlier, Players Cricket Academy had struggled to get to 185 before being all out in 39 overs.
Rann Star skipper Tejas Baroka was the most successful bowler, picking four for 27 in his eight overs.
“We won the toss and decided to bowl. It is always easier to chase at this [St Stephen’s] venue. The wicket was a bit dry,” said the 27-year-old Baroka, who represented Delhi in four first-class matches in the 2019-20 season. He was in the squad in 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons but couldn’t get a game.
The leg-spinner scalped his first wicket after getting the batsman caught at mid-wicket. He then had his next wicket through a leg-before decision. The next two batsmen were out stumped.
“I enjoyed having a couple of slips while bowling today.”
Ranjan then took the team home in 15.5 overs, smashing eight sixes and 16 fours in his blitzkrieg.
“It was a batting pitch but our bowlers, especially Tejas, restricted them to a modest total. My nature is aggressive so I like to go after the bowling.”
The aggression was evident on the day as he took 20-odd runs off a medium pacer who tried to bowl bouncers at him. Ranjan hit three sixes in that over.
“I have been trying to play for Delhi but somehow, I haven’t been able to get through to the Delhi white-ball squad,” Ranjan said before adding that he had got eight fifties in eight trial games.
“I was disappointed a lot for not getting a chance to play for Delhi last season.”
Wednesday’s innings may just wake up the Delhi selectors.
