Late hitting seals narrow win for Noida Kings
The Noida Kings chased down a challenging 186 to beat the Gaur Gorakhpur Lions by three wickets in a tense encounter of the UP T20 League at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Thursday. The Kings reached the target with just one ball remaining after a dramatic finish orchestrated by Anivesh Choudhary, whose unbeaten 34 off 15 balls proved decisive.
The match began with pre-game formalities at the Ekana ground. The traditional Bell Ringing Ceremony was conducted by Raj Shekhar, Managing Director of Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam (Rural), Lucknow. Officials present included Sanjay Kapoor, Chairman of the UP T20 League Governing Council, member Sanjeev Kumar Singh and former India cricketer Manvinder Bisla, according to the match report.
Gorakhpur Lions, asked to bat, were given a fine start by openers Abhay Pratap Singh and captain Aryan Juyal, who put together a 72-run opening stand. Abhay Pratap Singh top-scored for the Lions with a fluent 70 off 41 deliveries. After early breakthroughs returned wickets of Juyal and Shivam Chaudhary, the Lions relied on late-innings hitting from Siddharth Yadav and a brief cameo by Parth Palawat to post a competitive 185 for nine.
| Team | Score | Top performer |
|---|---|---|
| Gaur Gorakhpur Lions | 185/9 | Abhay Pratap Singh 70 (41) |
| Noida Kings | 186/7 | Anivesh Choudhary 34* (15) |
The Kings’ bowling was led by Bobby Yadav, who finished with figures of four for 48, and his spell helped restrict the Lions to the total they did. In reply, Noida Kings lost early wickets and were reduced to 46 for 3, with Vasu Vats influential for the Lions, claiming two early scalps and later completing a three-wicket haul.
- Key partnerships: A stabilising 70-run stand for the Kings between Aditya Sharma (39) and Ravi Singh (49 off 28) during the chase.
- Turning point: Dismissal of Sharma in the 15th over and successive wickets that tilted the contest into a last-over finish.
- Final over drama: With 23 required off the last 12 balls, Abdul Rehman conceded just five in the penultimate over. Kartik Siddhu was run out at the start of the final over, leaving 18 off six. Choudhary then struck two consecutive sixes and followed with crucial boundary hitting to close the chase.
The chase was marked by calculated aggression and tight bowling. After the middle-order partnership between Aditya Sharma and Ravi Singh steadied the innings, the Lions struck back in the 15th over when Vishal Nishad dismissed Sharma. Momentum swung again as Prince Yadav removed Prashant Veer for a golden duck and Vasu Vats added Singh’s wicket, tightening the contest.
"With 23 runs needed off the final 12 balls, the penultimate over changed the complexion of the finish, but Anivesh’s late hitting ensured the Kings crossed the line with one ball to spare," the match report said.
The victory keeps Noida Kings in contention in the early stages of the UP T20 League and will be a morale booster after an unsettled chase. For the Lions, the batting contributions from Abhay Pratap Singh and Siddharth Yadav underlined the depth of their batting line-up, but the inability to defend 185 highlighted the fine margins in T20 cricket.
Both teams will look to build on performances as the tournament progresses. The Kings will take confidence from the lower-order contributions and the ability of their bowlers to take wickets, while Gorakhpur Lions will assess their death-over bowling and fielding execution after a match decided on the final delivery.
Match officials, full scorecards and points table updates were provided by the UP T20 League organisers after the game.
