Dainik Jagran beat Amar Ujala by 25 runs to make it to the semi-final

• SBI Cup Media Premier League 

Lucknow, January 25: An all-round performance by Alok Mishra (32*runs, 3 wkts) helped favourites Dainik Jagran beat Amar Ujala by 25 runs to make it to the semi-finals of the SBI Cup Media Premier League, at the KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium here today.

Mishra first struck unbeaten 32, which came off 39 balls with the help of one boundary as Dainik Jagran scored 125 in stipulated 20 overs while batting first after winning the toss, and then took 3/5 in two overs to see Amar Ujala scoring 100 in 17.5 overs in reply.

This was Amar Ujala’s second consecutive loss in as many as matches. Before today, they had lost to Hindustan Times by nine wickets in the opening game. Hindustan Times too have made it to the semi-finals along with Dainik Jagran.

Besides Mishra, openers Rajeev Bajpai (15, 23b, 1×4), Prahlad Singh Mawri (18, 26b, 1×4) and Sarfaraz nawaj (13, 11b, 1×4) made useful contributions for Dainik Jagran. For Amar Ujala, Sumit Singh remained the most successful bowler, bagging 3/18, whereas Sharif Ujair (2/31) and Shyamu (2/33) also shared four wickets between them.

Amar Ujala were within the reach of winning as they needed 42 in 41 balls with five wickets in hand at one stage. But introduction of off-spinner Alok Mishra from the pavilion end made all the difference for Dainik Jagran as the bowler claimed three wickets in 12 deliveries and conceded just five runs to see the rivals getting out at 100 in 17.5 overs. Rajeev Bajpai too took 3/13, whereas Ankur Dixit and Abhishek Mishra took a wicket each.

For Amar Ujala, AKHILESH Mishra TOP SCORED 22, WHICH CAME off 25 balls with the help of three fours, whereas Sharif Ujair and Mayank Dixit made 17 and 12, respectively. Alok Mishra was later given man-of-the-match award jointly by UP Olympic Association’s secretary, Anandeshwar Pandey and Balrampur Olympic Association’s chairman Mahraj Mahendra Das Ji.

Hosts LSJA XI will take on DD-AIR Xi tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.