On Tuesday (August 29), Captain Manish Pandey took charge and led his team, Hubli Tigers, to an exhilarating victory over Mysore Warriors in the final of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2023.
Entering the crease during the 14th over with his team in a favorable position, the India batsman, who has been overlooked, took the responsibility. The solid opening performance by Mohammad Taha, who scored 72 runs, laid a strong foundation for the Tigers. Manish Pandey strode out with the team at 121 for 3 in the 14th over. With the captain’s role to bolster the innings, he rose to the occasion admirably.
Securing an undefeated half-century, he guided his team to a substantial total of 203 for 8. Amidst consistent wicket losses at the opposite end, Manish Pandey held his ground resolutely, ensuring his team surpassed the 200-run milestone established through a promising start. The right-handed batter concluded the innings unbeaten, crafting a 50-run score from 23 deliveries, inclusive of 3 boundaries and 4 sixes.
Manish Pandey’s impact in the game extended beyond his unbeaten fifty. Displaying exceptional fielding prowess, the Tigers’ captain executed a remarkable save during the conclusive over, denying the opposition a potential six. One could argue that this save by Manish Pandey was nothing short of a game-changing moment, possibly even a championship-clinching effort.
Saved on the boundary: Turning tweets into memories, ft. Manish Pandey! 🏏✨
— FanCode (@FanCode) August 29, 2023
.
.#CricketTwitter #KSCA @im_manishpandey pic.twitter.com/I8Ks6C6kyR
With the Warriors requiring 11 runs off the last 4 deliveries, J Suchith struck Manvanth Kumar’s ball towards long-off. The left-handed batsman connected well, seemingly destined for a boundary-six.
Yet, Manish Pandey had different plans. Just as the ball neared the boundary line, Pandey leaped in sync and clutched the ball adeptly with both hands, hurling it back into the field before it landed outside the boundary. This agile move prevented 4 vital runs, ultimately contributing to the Tigers’ victory by a margin of 8 runs.