Andhra produced one of their most assured batting performances of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite 2025 to outgun Punjab by five wickets in a Super League Group A contest at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday. Chasing a challenging target of 206 on a good batting surface, Andhra showed composure and intent, riding on a sublime century from Maramreddy Hemanth Reddy to seal the game with one ball to spare.
After opting to bowl first, Andhra conceded a big total but never appeared panicked during the chase. The victory keeps them firmly in contention for a place in the knockout stages, while Punjab were left to rue missed opportunities despite a strong all-round batting effort.
Punjab build momentum with late surge
Punjab’s innings was built around contributions from across the batting order. Openers Harnoor Singh and skipper Prabhsimran Singh provided a steady start, adding early momentum inside the powerplay. Harnoor anchored the innings with a well-paced 42 off 30 balls before falling to Nitish Kumar Reddy.
The middle overs saw Anmolpreet Singh take charge, striking 47 off 27 balls with clean hitting down the ground. Although Punjab lost wickets at regular intervals, they maintained a healthy run rate. The late flourish came through Salil Arora and Ramandeep Singh, who attacked the Andhra bowlers in the final overs. Ramandeep’s 43 off just 18 balls, coupled with Salil’s unbeaten 42 from 22 deliveries, pushed Punjab to a competitive 205 for 5.
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Early stumbles put Andhra under pressure
Andhra’s chase did not get off to the ideal start. Both openers, Ashwin Hebbar and wicketkeeper-batter Srikar Bharat, were dismissed inside the first over by Gurnoor Brar, putting the side on the back foot early. The situation worsened when Nitish Kumar Reddy fell cheaply, leaving Andhra reeling at 12 for 3.
Punjab’s bowlers, led by Gurnoor Brar, exploited the early movement and looked on course to dominate the contest. At that stage, the asking rate remained high, and Andhra needed a substantial partnership to revive the chase.
Hemanth Reddy turns the game on its head
Maramreddy Hemanth Reddy played the defining innings of the match, displaying a blend of composure and controlled aggression. After stabilising the innings alongside skipper Ricky Bhui, Hemanth shifted gears once set, targeting both pace and spin with equal confidence.
Following Bhui’s dismissal, Hemanth found the ideal partner in SDNV Prasad. The duo stitched together a match-winning 155-run partnership, effectively taking the game away from Punjab. Hemanth reached his century in just 53 balls, peppering the boundary with 11 fours and seven sixes, while Prasad played the perfect supporting role with an unbeaten 53 off 35 balls.
Calm finish seals crucial win
Despite a few tight overs towards the end, Andhra never let the equation spiral out of control. Hemanth continued to anchor the chase, ensuring wickets in hand, before Andhra crossed the line at 211 for 5 in 19.5 overs.
The win underlined Andhra’s batting depth and ability to handle pressure in big chases, while Punjab were left searching for answers after conceding control during the middle overs.
Brief scores
- Punjab: 205/5 in 20 overs (Harnoor Singh 42, Anmolpreet Singh 47, Ramandeep Singh 43*; Saurabh Kumar 1/24)
- Andhra: 211/5 in 19.5 overs (Maramreddy Hemanth Reddy 109*, SDNV Prasad 53*; Gurnoor Brar 3/23)
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