In an exciting encounter Major League Cricket 2024, Suresh Raina‘s short half-century short of failure, fans and teammates were heartbroken. The Southern Spartans The captain was in great form, ready to lead his team to a huge total against the opposition Northern Challengers. But fate had other plans.
Brilliant display by Suresh Raina with the willow
Known for his explosive batting and dynamic all-round skills, Raina has been showing off his prowess on the field. At the time of his dismissal, he had scored 49 runs off just 27 balls, boasting an impressive strike rate of 181.2. His innings included seven boundaries and one six, reflecting his aggressive approach and ability to dominate the bowlers. He was with her Shreshthahe too put in an impressive performance with 45 runs off 30 deliveries. Together, they formed a solid foundation for the Spartans as they took aim at a difficult goal.
Also READ: Big Cricket League 2024 Squads: Complete list of players for all six teams
Raina suffers a setback with a botched sacking
The turning point came in the 17th over of the innings. Shreshtha faced the first delivery from the Northern Challenger bowler Bipul Sharma. In an unfortunate twist of fate, Shreshtha hit it hard and it went beyond Bipul’s hands and bounced on the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Taking off for a run, Raina failed to return in time and was stranded, resulting in a heart-wrenching run. This dismissal not only deprived Raina of a decent fifty but also changed the momentum of the match.
We present the video:
Didn’t see that coming! 😵
Raina is just short of half century with 4️⃣ 9️⃣
Rejoice in your favorite legends #BCLLIVE #SonyLIV 📲🎉 pic.twitter.com/PC7wK6GCXg
— Sony LIV (@SonyLIV) December 12, 2024
Easy chase by Northern Challengers to Southern Spartans
South Spartans completed their innings at 203/4 in their allotted 20 overs. Like a scorecard, it showed a mix of contributions from different players Solomon Mire‘s 47 runs off 28 balls and very productive minibuses Aman Khan (not 29 from 9 balls) and Abhimanyu Mithun (not 27 from 12 balls)
Aggressive hitting in the Spartans’ innings was a total of sixes (12) and boundaries (16), underscoring their intent to set a high score. However, despite their efforts, they failed in terms of partnerships that could have taken them beyond their target.
In reply, the Northerners chased down the target with relative ease, scoring 205 runs for the loss of four wickets in just 18.4 overs. Their innings was highlighted by NC’s captain Shikhar Dhawan‘s explosive 86 runs off just 43 deliveries. Dhawan’s powerful batting was instrumental in leading his team to victory and showed his ability to anchor the innings while maintaining an aggressive approach.
The match ended with the Northern Challengers winning by six wickets and the Southern Spartans began to wonder what could have been had Raina not been the victim of an unfortunate run-out. His dismissal not only marked a landmark moment in the game, but also served as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in cricket. Raina’s performance highlighted his undoubted talent and potential as he continues to shine in Major League Cricket in 2024, despite his premature end.
