Dinesh Mongia’s roaring performance helps Chandigarh Lions register first win

The seventh match of the ICL 20-20 domestic tournament featured the Mumbai Champs take on Chandigarh Lions at the picturesque Jain international residential school ground. It was an important match for both sides; having lost their respective first encounters in the tournament.

In the end it was the superb all round skills (both bat & ball) from Lions’ skipper Dinesh Mongia, which sealed the match in favor of the Chandigarh Lions. Mongia was also adjudged the man of the match for his stupendous performance, which included two wickets and a match winning innings of 72.


Champs skipper Kiran Powar, won the toss and elected to bat. They opened with a new combination of Morris-Paul who got the Champs off to a steady start adding 34 runs for the first wicket. Quick wickets of Patil, Powar & Jadhav put the blocks on the Mumbai batting not resulting in any momentum. A late onslaught from all-rounder Khirid 26 runs (14 balls) helped Champs fold their innings at 135 /7 in their allotted 20 overs.

The mainstay of the Champs batting was opener Robin Morris who scored a disciplined 46. For the Lions it was Uniyal, Mongia & Luv Ablish who ended with two wickets each.


In reply the Lions got off to a shaky start with both their openers Manish & Chetan back in the Lions dugout by the end of the 4th over. Lions’ batting mainstay TP Singh, was looking in ominous touch scoring 23 off only 15 balls before he was castled by the emerging pace talent Suyash Burkul. Lions’ skipper Dinesh Mongia however had other plans and played a match winning, unbeaten knock of 72 runs (40balls; including 9 fours & 2sixes). The only Mumbai bowler to have any impression on the Lions was Burkul, who returned with impressive figures of 3/22 in his allotted 4 overs.

In the end, largely helped by the Mongia knock and able support of Sarabjeet Singh saw the Lions come out triumphs by 6 wickets & 2 overs to spare.