Hyderabad staged a remarkable comeback to post a strong 313 on day one against TNCA President’s XI in the semifinal of the All-India Buchi Babu tournament at the ICL ground in Tirunelveli on Monday. The TNCA side won the toss and opted to bowl first, hoping to capitalize on the early advantage. However, Hyderabad’s resilience and powerful batting display turned the tables.
The TNCA bowlers started strongly, with Gurjapneet Singh dismissing opener M. Abhirath with a well-directed in-swinger. Pacer M. Mohammed followed up with the wickets of Rohit Rayudu and Hyderabad captain Rahul Singh, reducing the visitors to a precarious 34 for three within the first hour.
However, Nitesh Kannala (59) and Hima Teja (91 not out) responded with a counter-attacking partnership, scoring boundaries freely and putting the pressure back on the TNCA bowlers. Nitesh reached his half-century in style, smashing three consecutive boundaries off Gurjapneet Singh.
The frustration was evident on the face of TNCA captain M. Siddharth as the Hyderabad batsmen continued to accumulate runs. Despite some verbal exchanges and attempts to disrupt the momentum, Nitesh eventually fell to a well-flighted delivery.
With Nitesh gone, Teja found another strong ally in C. V. Milind (58). The duo shared a crucial 79-run eighth-wicket partnership, further solidifying Hyderabad’s position. Tanay Thyagarajan (40) then unleashed a late assault, ensuring Hyderabad finished the day on a strong note.
The TNCA President’s XI will need to come up with a strong batting performance on day two to stay in the contest. The scores: Hyderabad 313 in 78.4 overs (Nitesh Kannala 59, Hima Teja 91 n.o., C. V. Milind 58, Tanay Thyagarajan 40) vs TNCA President’s XI 9/0 in 5 overs. Toss: Hyderabad.
