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Suffering a defeat from a position of strength is painful, and the Chhattisgarh Warriors must be feeling remorseful for their loss on Thursday, February 29, at Greater Noida against VVIP Uttar Pradesh.

But how did this win happen and were UP always on the top?

Chhattisgarh Warriors won the toss and chose to let VVIP take the first strike. Their bowlers proved the wisdom of this decision by taking the wicket of aggressive Bhanu Seth, who has been struggling in the tournament.

Pawan Negi- the dainty but daring left-hander- is currently in excellent form in the ongoing IVPL. The dismissal of his opening partner did not discourage him; instead, he continued to play his usual game and contributed to keeping the scoreboard moving along with Rohit Srivastava. 

The Southpaw showed determination at one end while his partners were being dismissed quickly. Despite this, he stayed composed and refrained from making hasty decisions, balancing caution with aggression.

At a certain point, the VVIP team was struggling at 92 for 5 due to the excellent bowling and fielding efforts of the Chhattisgarh warriors. It seemed like the Uttar Pradesh team might be dismissed for a low score, but Rajat Bhatia provided valuable assistance to Negi. Though, this would not deter the in-form attacker called Negi. He continued to hit boundaries consistently, keeping his team competitive in the game.

During their collaboration, they formed a 71-run partnership, with Negi reaching his half-century to the joy of the home team.

An experienced hand in T20 cricket, Rajat Bhatia played a very useful hand scoring 3 fours and 2 sixes during his innings of 37. Meanwhile, Pawan Negi, clearly the standout performer for Uttar Pradesh, stayed unbeaten with a score of 83 from 44 deliveries, including 5 fours and an equal number of sixes. Their contributions helped the team secure a respectable total on the scoreboard. 

Chhattisgarh may have fallen short in closing out their opponents’ innings after applying early pressure, despite a strong bowling performance from Gurkeerat Mann and Kalim Khan, who claimed 3 wickets apiece.

Chhattisgarh Warriors made a strong start in their pursuit of 184 runs to win, scoring 49 runs and losing only 1 wicket in the first 3 overs. Jatin Saxena, the elegant right-handed batsman, showcased his skills by playing some impressive shots during his innings of 31. One of the standout moments was when he effortlessly flicked the ball for a six on the leg side with just a subtle wrist movement- a highlight of the match.

Naman Ojha, who has excelled in various veteran leagues previously, showcased top form by playing aggressively to unsettle the bowlers. However, Saurabh Tiwari’s dismissal led to Gurkeerat Mann joining the very watchful, very crafty Ojha at the crease.

Together, they built a strong 95-run partnership to counter the VVIP Uttar Pradesh attack effectively.

Naman stylishly brought up his fifty by smashing a straight six over the bowler’s head. Just when it seemed like he and Mann were dominating the game, disaster struck. Christopher Mpofu turned the tables by dismissing both set batsmen Ojha and Mann in the 16th over, bringing his team back into contention.

Chhattisgarh struggled to cope with the pressure as they continued to lose wickets, In the 16th, 18th, and 19th overs of their innings, they lost two wickets each, resulting in a rather timid surrender. Naman Ojha, the wicketkeeper-batsman, emerged as the highest run-scorer for his team by smashing 72 runs off 48 deliveries, including four sixes and four fours but his efforts went in vain.

The VVIP Uttar Pradesh bowlers delivered an impressive performance against the lower-order batsmen, restricting them from making significant hits.

Christopher Mpofu and Monu Kumar stood out as the top bowlers for VVIP, with 3 and 4 wickets taken, respectively. It can be argued that the game took a decisive turn due to the impactful contributions of tall Zimbabwean Christopher Mpofu, who delivered two crucial blows.

In the end, the Warriors could only score 166/9 in their designated 20 overs, falling short of their target by 16 runs.

While VVIP Uttar Pradesh had already made it to the semifinals of the tournament, this win secured their place in the top four. As for Chattisgarh, they have also reached the semifinals. However, their players need to put this match behind them quickly and focus on delivering their best performance in the knockout stage, considering they have a strong team.

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