Dehradun: The Nainital Tigers delivered an impressive batting display at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, chasing down 179 with ease to defeat the USN Indians by six wickets.
What appeared a challenging target on paper became a comfortable chase, thanks to exceptional innings from Shashwat Dangwal and captain Bhupen Lalwani, whose composed batting steered their team home with 13 balls to spare.
The Nainital Tigers entered the contest on eight points, seeking a vital victory to strengthen their position and boost their chances of reaching the finals stage.
With tonight's triumph, Nainital joined Haridwar on 10 points. However, Haridwar's superior net run-rate of 2.022 sees them advance directly to the final on 5 October, while Nainital's NRR of 0.770 sends them to the Eliminator instead.
Their opponents in the Eliminator will be either Dehradun Warriors or Rishikesh Falcons, to be determined following Rishikesh's final league fixture against Pithoragarh Hurricanes. However, Rishikesh faces a virtually difficult qualification scenario, needing to bat first, post 230 runs, and win by a massive 186-run margin. Chasing would eliminate them mathematically.
Earlier, batting first, a collective effort saw the USN Indians reach 178/8 against Nainital Tigers in the evening clash of triple-header Friday.
The USN Indians demonstrated attacking intent from the outset, though consistent wickets prevented them from building bigger partnerships. The opening stand yielded 33 runs before Avneesh Sudha departed in the fourth over.
A significant partnership between the second and third wickets added 51 runs, taking the score to 84 before skipper Vishal Kashyap's dismissal in the ninth over. He top-scored for his side with a quick 27-ball 53, featuring four fours and five sixes.
Prateek Pandey (10 off 12) and Abhishek Dafouti (36 off 27) continued the rebuilding effort, though both fell in quick succession after guiding the score past the hundred-run mark.
The remaining overs witnessed a flurry of dismissals as the Nainital bowlers tightened their grip, preventing the Indians from mounting a late assault towards the 200-run mark. However, Parvv Verma's unbeaten cameo of 24 from just 16 deliveries proved crucial, his calculated aggression in the final overs ensuring the Indians posted a competitive total.
Nainital's bowling attack maintained disciplined lines throughout, with Sangam Bajpai particularly effective by returning 3/26 from his three overs.
While chasing, the Tigers got off to a shaky start with both their openers falling early without scoring any runs. In at No.3, Rahul Raj launched the chase with a stunning knock of 44 off 20 balls, his aggressive intent laying the perfect foundation. Even his dismissal barely dented Nainital's progress as Shashwat Dangwal assumed control with a mature display.
Dangwal played a measured innings, compiling a well-crafted 60 off 45. He kept the scoreboard moving, picked the right moments to attack, and ensured his team stayed comfortably ahead of the required rate throughout. Later it was skipper Bhupen Lalwani who applied the finishing touches with some excellent striking.
The Nainital captain played a match-winning knock, remaining unbeaten on 49 off just 27 balls. His clean hitting in the closing overs broke the USN Indians' resistance, as he found boundaries with precision when it mattered most. The partnership between Dangwal and Lalwani effectively ended any hopes of a USN Indians comeback, as the bowling attack struggled to build pressure.
The USN Indians finished their UPL 2025 campaign without registering a single victory, a disheartening conclusion for the defending champions. They ended with just one point from six matches, earned through a rain-abandoned game, while suffering defeats in all five completed fixtures.
