Baroda, Kerala make winning start in T20 tourney

West Zone champions Baroda and South Zone runners-up Kerala made a winning start to their campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali All India T20 tournament by defeating Bengal and Delhi, respectively.
Baroda, who won all their four league games in the zonal event, notched up their fifth straight victory by overwhelming Bengal by seven wickets at the Sharad Paar Cricket Academy ground in the Bandra-Kurla complex.
Baroda shot out their rivals for a paltry 96 and then overtook the target easily in 14 overs to score a comprehensive win.
Kerala overcame a depleted Delhi by 14 runs in the other Group B game at the Wankhede Stadium by notching up a challenging 150 for 6, with opener V Jagadeesh top scoring with 52 in 36 balls. They then restricted Delhi to 136 for 9 with some efficient bowling and brilliant fielding.

In the Baroda-Bengal game, Bengal plunged into trouble soon after being asked to bat first by their rivals to be reduced to 50 for five and never recovered from this poor start. Captain S Sanyal top scored with 13.
For Baroda, medium pacers Lukman Meriwala and Abhijit Karambelkar captured three wickets each on a seaming track.

Chasing the modest target, Baroda were given a decent start by Kedar Devdar (11) and Aditya Waghmode (26-ball 27).
Although in the middle they lost two wickets in close succession, Baroda sailed home thanks to an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 43 between R Solanki (16 not out) and Deeepak Hooda (24 not out off 17 balls with four fours).

A Gani bagged 28 for two for Bengal.