TIL Desk Lucknow:ЁЯСЙYash Garg's unbeaten half-century and skipper Rinku Singh's assured finishing act powered Meerut Mavericks to a six-wicket win over Noida Kings in Qualifier 2 of the UP T20 League Season 4 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Recovering from a shaky start, Meerut chased down a target of 135 in 17.5 overs, finishing at 135 for four to book their place in the final. Garg remained unbeaten on 56 off 44 balls, hitting three fours and as many sixes, while Rinku Singh scored a fluent 37 not out off 23 deliveries, studded with two fours and two sixes. The duo added an unbeaten 74 runs for the fifth wicket off just 46 balls to turn the contest decisively in Meerut's favour.
Garg, who also picked up three wickets earlier in the match, was named Player of the Match for his all-round effort. Meerut's chase had begun on a worrying note as they slipped to 32 for three. Swastik Chhikara (7), Rituraj Sharma (10) and Ishu Sharma (14) departed cheaply, putting Noida in control during the early stages.
Akshay Dubey's dismissal for seven in the 11th over further deepened Meerut's troubles before Garg and Rinku took charge. The pair mixed caution with aggression, gradually taking the game away from Noida and guiding their side home without any further loss. Earlier, Meerut elected to bowl after winning the toss and restricted Noida Kings to 134 for eight in their 20 overs.
Noida lost opener Shoaib Siddiqui (6) early, but Shourya Singh and Madhav Kaushik steadied the innings. Shourya top-scored with an attacking 47 off 33 balls, including four fours and three sixes, while Kaushik contributed 36 off 29 deliveries. However, Noida failed to maintain momentum as wickets fell regularly in the middle and death overs. Ravi Singh scored seven, while Aditya Sharma and Kartik Sidhu were dismissed without scoring. Captain Prashant Veer added 18 runs.
Yash Garg and Zeeshan Ansari were the standout bowlers for Meerut, claiming three wickets each. The match was ceremonially inaugurated by Dr Navneet Sehgal, retired IAS officer and former Chairman of Prasar Bharati, who conducted the toss and rang the traditional bell.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sehgal said the UP T20 League had provided a strong platform for players from Uttar Pradesh to showcase their talent and gain exposure to high-pressure cricket. UP T20 League Governing Council Chairman Dr Sanjay Kapoor said the quality of cricket in the tournament was improving with every season and reiterated the league's commitment to providing opportunities to young cricketers from the state.
Former Test cricketer Gopal Sharma, UPCA Media Committee Chairman Mohammad Faheem and UP T20 League Governing Council member Sanjeev Kumar Singh were among the dignitaries present. With the victory, Meerut Mavericks, former champions and two-time runners-up, entered another UP T20 League final. They will take on Lucknow Falcons, who have reached the title clash for the first time, in the final on September 6.
Brief Scores:
Noida Kings: 134/8 in 20 overs (Shourya Singh 47, Madhav Kaushik 36; Yash Garg 3 wickets, Zeeshan Ansari 3 wickets)
Meerut Mavericks: 135/4 in 17.5 overs (Yash Garg 56*, Rinku Singh 37*)
Meerut Mavericks won by six wickets.
