Patidar Samaj produced a stellar performance to beat Nile by four wickets to clinch their second National Men’s Twenty20 League at Lugogo Oval on Sunday.
“It feels great to be champions again,” Patidar skipper Ankit Patel told Daily Monitor upon lifting their second T20 title since 2011.
The success also ended the club’s four years of hurt encrypted by the departure of Charles Waiswa, Lawrence Ssematimba, Roger Mukasa and Akbar Baig to Tornado B.
“Since that quartet left us, we had forgotten how to win,” admitted tournament MVP Ankit.
“But this feat is what all the lads will try to build on so as to earn promotion back to the topflight limited-overs league next year.”
Just like the Sixes Challenge miss in February, it was another defeat for Nile in the T20 final.
“We have failed to win a final on two occasions. But we’ll work harder to finish in top four of the Division One 50-Over League and possibly win the Champions Trophy,” Nile skipper David Musoke said. After Musoke opted to bat first, Patidar’s Hasmukh Patel (4/21) and Emmanuel Taban (3/22) rubbed salt in Nile’s wounds.
It needed Suleman Sharif (20 off 18) and Kenneth Waiswa (14 off 19) covered up for Nile’s mediocre batting as they went on to set 120 for 9.
“I think we were about 20 runs short of our target. It eventually cost us.” Musoke noted.
Needing six per over to win, Patidar were reeling at 37-2 after five overs by Suleman (3/25) and Nasser Ahmed (2/16) but Ankit restored parity with a 28-ball 24 to clinch victory with five balls to spare.
NATIONAL TWENTY20 LEAGUE
WEEKEND RESULTS
FINAL
Nile 120/9 Patidar 123/6
(Patidar won by four wickets)
SEMI-FINALS
Nile 144/6 Wanderers 31/4 (D/L)
(Nile won by 24 runs after D/L)
Damani 122/7 (47) Patidar 50/1 (D/L)
(Patidar won by nine wickets after D/L)
INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES
MVP: Ankit Patel (Patidar Samaj)
Best batsman: Arthur Kyobe (Challengers)
Best bowler: Mohammed Aneef (Challengers)
Best fielder: Ankit Patel (Patidar Samaj)
Best wicket-keeper: Nirav Patel (Patidar)
CAST OF T20 CHAMPIONS
2014: Challengers
2013: Wanderers
2012: Tornado
2011: Patidar
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