Mohali (Punjab) [India], September 12 : Ludhiana Lions secured their place in the semi-finals of the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League after defeating Amritsar Soormas by five wickets at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
Chasing a target of 177, Ludhiana needed just 62 runs to qualify for the semi-finals as they had a better net run rate than their rivals. The Lions, however, went a step further and completed the chase in the 19th over to register a convincing win and seal their place in the last four, according to a press release from Sher-E-Punjab T20 League.
Batting first, Amritsar Soormas posted 176/9 in 20 overs. They were put under early pressure after Sahaj Dhawan was dismissed cheaply, but Jashanpreet Singh and Abhay Choudhary helped steady the innings with a 32-run partnership for the second wicket.
Choudhary played an attacking knock of 25 off 15 balls, but his dismissal triggered another setback for Amritsar. The Soormas lost wickets at regular intervals and slipped to 97/5, leaving them in danger of being bowled out for a below-par total.
Rahul Kumar then led the recovery for Amritsar. He found a reliable partner in Ishmeet Singh Sandhu, and the two added 64 runs for the sixth wicket. Rahul took the attacking role and kept the scoreboard moving with some good strokes.
Rahul eventually scored a valuable 57 off 36 balls, giving Amritsar some much-needed momentum in the middle overs. Ishmeet also played an important role in the partnership before the Lions managed to break the stand.
Amritsar lost a few more wickets towards the end but managed to reach 176/9, giving Ludhiana a target of 177.
For Ludhiana, Kartik Chadha was among the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 2/31 in four overs. He played a key role in keeping the Amritsar batters under pressure and preventing them from adding more runs in the final overs.
The Lions did not get off to an ideal start in the chase either. They lost two early wickets and were reduced to 32/2, bringing Amritsar back into the contest.
However, Salil Arora and Karteek Sharma then produced a superb partnership to completely change the game. The two batters attacked the bowling and put Ludhiana in a strong position, bringing the equation down to 67 runs from 60 balls.
Salil was in excellent touch and smashed 70 off just 35 balls, hitting six sixes and four fours. Karteek provided strong support and also completed his half-century as the pair put together a massive 120-run partnership.
Salil's dismissal briefly gave Amritsar some hope, but Ludhiana were firmly in control by then. Karteek continued to guide the chase and scored 56 off 40 balls before he was dismissed, with the Lions needing only 9 runs from 19 balls at that stage.
Krish Bhagat fell soon after while attempting to clear the field, but the Lions had very little left to do. They completed the chase in the 19th over, finishing with a five-wicket victory at the I.S. Bindra Stadium, which has hosted international matches in the past.
Mohali Kings will now face Amritsar Soormas in the first semi-final, while Ludhiana Lions will lock horns with Jalandhar Warriors in the second semi-final.
Playoffs Schedule: September 12
Semi-Final 1: Mohali Kings vs Amritsar Soorma at 1:00 PM
Semi-Final 2: Ludhiana Lions vs Jalandhar Warriors at 7:00 PM.