JOIN USFormer champions Air India and last year’s runners-up India Cements scored comprehensive victories in Group D to start their campaign in the BCCI Corporate Trophy on a bright note here on Sunday.
AI rode on Yuvraj Singh’s blistering knock of 105 off 74 balls and an incisive spell of fast bowling by Pankaj Singh to decimate State Bank of Mysore by 102 runs at the Wankhede Stadium.
India Cements defeated Food Corporation of India by 91 runs in the other game at the BKC ground by scoring 240/9 in a match reduced to 45 overs because of a wet outfield and then dismissing their rivals for a paltry 149 in 35.4 overs.
Yuvraj carted the SBM bowling attack in his inimitable fashion by striking 12 fours and five sixes, the last flicked six over fine leg enabling him to reach his century in style to power AI to an imposing 327 for 7 in 50 overs.
Yuvraj also put on 131 runs for the third wicket with Naman Ojha, who made 60 off 41 balls with two sixes and seven fours, to give a timely acceleration to the innings after openers Manvinder Bisla (58) and Sushant Marathe (44) laid a good foundation against some accurate bowling.
Brief scores: Air India: 327/7 (Manvinder Bisla 58, Sushant Marathe 44, Yuvraj Singh 105, Naman Ojha 60; HS Sharath 3-92, S Arvind 2-64) bt State Bank of Mysore: 225/8 (Anirudha Joshi 72, Pavan Deshpande 34; Pankaj Singh 3-12, RG Pal 2-41, R Dias 2-37).India Cements: 240/9 in 45 overs (B Aparajith 93; Rishi Dhawan 3-55, Javed Khan 2-40) bt Food Corporation of India: 149 all out in 35.4 overs (M Sidhana 56; RS Shah 4-33, V Yomahesh 2-24).