Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], August 16 : In a high-voltage friendly T20 clash at Greenfield Stadium ahead of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL), Sanju Samson-led Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) Secretary XI pulled off a nail-biting one-wicket victory over Sachin Baby's KCA President XI.
On Friday, batting first, President XI posted a competitive 184/8 in 20 overs. Rohan Kunnummal's explosive 60 off 29 balls and Abhijith Praveen's blistering cameo of 47 off 18 balls powered the innings, despite wickets tumbling regularly. Secretary XI's Sharafudheen (3 wickets) and Sijomon Joseph (2 wickets) struck crucial blows to keep the target within reach.
In reply, Secretary XI chased down the target in 19.4 overs, finishing at 188/9. Wicketkeeper Vishnu Vinod set the tone with a fiery 69 off 29 balls, while skipper Sanju Samson anchored the innings with 54 off 36 balls. The match went down to the final over, with Basil Thampi smashing a six to seal victory with two balls to spare.
The clash showcased top-class performances from Kerala's cricketing stars, giving fans a taste of the excitement building up for the upcoming Kerala Cricket League (KCL).
The match took place during the inauguration ceremony of the newly-installed LED floodlights at the Greenfield Stadium. The event was attended by KCA officials, team owners, invited dignitaries and members.
The KCL will take place from August 21 to September 7. Samson will serve as the vice-captain of Kochi Blue Tigers and could get some much-needed match practice ahead of the Asia Cup starting from September 9 onwards in the UAE, with India's campaign opener taking place against the UAE on September 10.
Following last year's T20 WC, Samson found a new lease of life as an opener for the Indian side alongside Abhishek. Since then, in 31 T20s and 30 innings, he has scored 908 runs at an average of 33.62, with a strike rate of 157.09, with three centuries and three fifties.