Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semi-finals: All you need to know
What's the story
The semi-finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is set to be held on Friday. Tamil Nadu will take on Rajasthan in the first semi-final. Meanwhile, Punjab will face Baroda in the second match. Both matches along with the final will be played at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. Ahead of a crucial battle on offer, we look at the details.
Rajasthan
Story of Rajasthan in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Rajasthan had earlier topped the Elite Group D with four wins and a loss in five games. They finished with 16 points with an NRR of +0.503. In quarter-final 4, Rajasthan overcame Bihar by 16 runs. Mahipal Lomror's 37-ball 78* helped Rajasthan score 164/5. In reply, Bihar managed 148/4 in 20 overs. Mangal Mahrour's 68* wasn't enough.
Tamil Nadu
TN register five-wicket win against Himachal Pradesh
The Tamil Nadu cricket team has maintained a 100% record so far in the tournament. TN finished first in Elite Group B, having claimed 20 points from five games with an NRR of +1.880. In quarter-final 2, Tamil Nadu beat Himachal Pradesh by five wickets. HP managed 135/9 in 20 overs with Sonu Yadav (3/14) impressing largely. In reply, TN managed 141/5.
Punjab
Punjab's story in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Punjab won all their five games in Elite Group A, managing a healthy NRR of +2.483. They beat Karnataka by nine wickets in a one-sided contest in the quarter-final 1. Siddarth Kaul (3/15) was the top performer as Karnataka were bundled out for 87. In reply, Punjab chased down the target in 12.4 overs. Simran Singh scored an unbeaten 49.
Baroda
Baroda's story in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
In quarter-final 3 of the tournament, Baroda claimed a victory against Haryana. Haryana managed 147/8 in 20 overs. Karthik Kakade (2/7) was top notch for the Baroda side. In reply, Baroda claimed an eight-wicket win off the final ball. Vishnu Solanki scored an unbeaten 46-ball 71. Earlier, Baroda won all their matches in Elite Group C. They claimed 20 points (NRR +1.465).