Rajasthan-Punjab, Delhi-UP to battle for final berths

Deepak Chahar once again impressed with a three-wicket haul to guide Rajasthan to a hat-trick of wins, putting them in final contention alongside Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy here today.
In Group A, Suresh Raina continued his imperious form with a third successive half-century in Uttar Pradesh's second win, as they will battle it out with Delhi for the other final spot.
Rajasthan have 12 points, while Punjab are on eight as the top two teams will clash in a virtual semifinal at Eden Gardens.
With eight points from three matches each, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh will lock horns in another 'knockout' match of Group B at the Jadavpur University second campus ground.

Electing to bat, Rajasthan rode on 18-year-old Mahipal Lomror's careerbest 74 (55 balls; 4x4, 4x6) to pile 175/6 before Chahar's tidy 3/27 ensured a 17-run win as Mumbai managed 158/8 in the first match at Eden Gardens.
Number four Lomror stitched an 86-run crucial partnership with Chetan Bist (41 off 35 balls; 3x4, 2x6).

After Bist's departure, Tajinder Singh hammered a quickfire 17-ball 43 (6x4, 2x6) in a 75-run partnership with Lomror to prop up the total.
Mumbai were off to a brisk start with Akhil Herwadkar's 51-ball 68 (6x4, 3x6) and Jay Bista (29 off 18) putting on a 54-run opening stand off 38 balls.

Fresh from a careerbest 5/15 yesterday, Chahar triggered the collapse accounting for Herwadkar, Shivam Dube and Akash Parkar to race to 10 wickets in three games of Super League. Khaleel Ahmed and offspinner Tajinder accounted for two wickets each.
Earlier at the Jadavpur University second campus ground, the Uttar Pradesh captain kept them in the hunt for a second title as they eliminated two-time champions Baroda with a resounding seven- wicket win.
Chasing a stiff 193 after they opted to field, Uttar Pradesh were in trouble with 0/1 in the first ball but Raina and opener Umang Sharma made it easy in the end with a match- winning 160-run partnership off 90 balls.

Fresh from 126 not out and 61 in the last two matches, Raina hit a fluent 47-ball 56 inclusive of five fours and two sixes while Sharma smashed his T20 best score of 95 from 47 balls.
Five runs shy of a century, Sharma edged Atit Sheth behind the stumps as he along with Raina got out in space of six balls with 33 needed off 24, but Rinku Singh applied the finishing touches with an unbeaten 26 off 11 (4x4).
Uttar Pradesh thus returned to winning ways after their five-wicket reversal against Tamil Nadu at the Eden Gardens yesterday. They now have two wins from three matches.

In the second match of the day at the JU second campus ground in Saltlake, Bengal finished their campaign with an easy seven-wicket win over Tamil Nadu.
Kanishk Seth (3/26) was the pick of Bengal's attack, while Sayan Ghosh and Aamir Gani claimed two wickets each as they restricted Tamil Nadu to 129/9 after they opted to bat.
Sudip Chatterjee (51 not out from 47 balls; 6x4) struck a second successive half-century to seal the chase with 22 balls to spare. Writtick Chatterjee gave him a fine support with 44 from 32 balls (5x4).
Skipper Karun Nair struck a second T20 century as his 52 -ball 100 (8x4, 7x6) powered Karnataka to a huge 123-run hammering of Jharkhand in a Group A dead rubber under lights at the Eden.

With both the teams out of final contention, Karnataka were sent in as they amassed 201/4 with Pawan Deshpande scoring a 39-ball 56 (6x4, 1x6). In reply, Jharkhand were bundled out for 78 in 14.2 overs as Karnataka tasted their maiden win of the Super League.
Brief Scores
At Jadavpur University Second Campus ground, Saltlake: Baroda 192/3; 20 overs (Urvil Patel 96, Deepak Hooda 45) lost to Uttar Pradesh 195/3; 18.4 overs (Umang Sharma 95, Suresh Raina 56) by seven wickets.
Tamil Nadu 129/9; 20 overs (Anirudha Srikkanth 37, Kanishk Seth 3/26, Sayan Ghosh 2/19, Aamir Gani 2/16) lost to Bengal 134/3; 16.2 overs (Sudip Chatterjee 51 not out, Writtick Chatterjee 44) by seven wickets.

At Eden Gardens:
Rajasthan 175/6; 20 overs (Mahipal Lomror 74, Tajinder Singh 43, Chetan Bist 41; Dhawal Kulkarni 3/35) beat Mumbai 158/8; 20 overs (Akhil Herwadkar 68, Suryakumar Yadav 39; Deepak Chahar 3/27, Tajinder Singh 2/21, Khaleel Ahmed 2/41) by 17 runs.
Karnataka 201/4; 20 overs (Karun Nair 100, Pawan Deshpande 56, Monu Kumar 2/31) beat Jharkhand 78; 14.2 overs (M Prasidh Krishna 2/8, Sreenath Aravind 2/6, J Suchith 2/13, Abhimanyu Mithun 2/23) by 123 runs.