Chandrapaul Hemraj stars as Gujarat Samp Army secure a convincing win over Big Boys Unikari
Published - 08 Feb 2025, 03:15 PM | Updated - 08 Feb 2025, 03:17 PM
Gujarat Samp Army began their Legend 90 League campaign in style, securing a commanding six-wicket win over Big Boys Unikari at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Chandrapaul Hemraj’s blistering half-century led the way as Gujarat comfortably chased down a target of 124 with 18 balls to spare.
Opting to bat first, Big Boys Unikari struggled to build momentum, losing wickets at regular intervals. Their top order failed to provide a solid start, with Gujarat’s bowlers applying constant pressure.
The only major resistance came from Naman Sharma, who played a valiant knock of 52 off 29 balls, striking two fours and five sixes. However, his innings lacked support from the other end as wickets kept tumbling. Gujarat’s disciplined bowling attack ensured that Big Boys never found their rhythm, eventually restricting them to 123/7 in 15 overs.
Miguel Cummins was the standout bowler for Gujarat Samp Army, delivering an economical spell of 2/10 in three overs, including a maiden. He was well-supported by Chaturanga de Silva, Subodh Bhati, Saurin Thakar, and Amitoze Singh, each of whom picked up a wicket to keep Big Boys in check.
In response, Gujarat Samp Army made light work of the chase. Openers Shreevats Goswami and Chandrapaul Hemraj set the tone with a solid 68-run partnership. Hemraj took charge of the innings, unleashing a blistering assault on the opposition bowlers. He smashed eight fours and six sixes in his whirlwind knock of 74 off just 32 balls, ensuring Gujarat stayed well ahead of the required run rate.
Although Big Boys managed to pick up a few wickets towards the end, the result was never in doubt.
Jitendra Giri was the most successful bowler for Big Boys with two scalps, but his efforts were not enough to turn the game around. Gujarat Samp Army eventually reached 124/4 in just 12 overs, sealing a convincing victory and making a strong statement in their opening game of the tournament.
