In a nail biting finale of inaugural media cricket tournament, India TV showed guts to lift the champions trophy here on Sunday, beating Isha Films by 5 wickets.
Chasing a small target of 133, India TV got off to a poor start losing their captain Devendra Rawat (0) in the very first over.
Troubled by Isha Films fast bowler Mihir, impatient Rawat went for a big shot only to see stumps being uprooted. That was the start Isha Films needed to defend a small total.
However, the most dependable batsman Kuldeep and Yadav steadied the inning and put on 27 runs for second wicket before Yadav (14) got run out.
Soon more wickets fell and when India TV was looking in all sorts of trouble, Madhur (39*) and Shishpal (37*) kept their nerve and pulled the team out of a hopeless situation. At one stage India TV needed 71 runs off 36 balls.
For Isha Films, Khan claimed 3 wickets giving away just 14 runs his four overs.
Earlier, Isha Films won the toss and elected to bat but lost one of their openers Arvind, one of their most dependable batsmen, who had missed a century by few runs in a league match against the same opponent.
Medium pacer Mandeep, erratic in early games, started with a hostile opening spell, teasing and beating technically sound Arvind on outside the off stump on more than one occasions. He claimed this prize wicket after being hit for a six in the same over.
But it was left arm spinner Vimal who made a remarkable come back to help his team restrict Isha Films. After conceding 24 runs in his first two overs, in the last over of the inning he sliced through the lower order to finish 4/29. Madhur also made a valuable contribution by ball taking two wicket for 21 runs.
While Madhur was declared man of the match, Kuldeep begged the best batsman of the tournament award. India TV also got the best disciplined team of the tournament award. Devendra Rawat was crowned with the Best Captain title.
Former India fast bowler Chetan Sharma was the chief guest who gave away the prizes.
