India A’s all-rounder Ayush Badoni took a brilliant flying catch to dismiss UAE’s Muhammad Jawadullah during the Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 match on Monday, October 21. The match, held at Al Amerat Cricket Ground Oman Cricket (Ministry Turf 1), saw a dominant performance from India A, with their bowlers bundling out the UAE for just 107 runs in 16.5 overs.

The United Arab Emirates won the toss and opted to bat first in the match. India A, led by skipper Tilak Varma, was satisfied with the decision, as they had hoped to field first. At the toss, Varma mentioned that India A was prepared to chase a target around 170-180, especially if dew became a factor in the second innings. However, the brilliant bowling display by India A made that unnecessary.

Jammu and Kashmir pacer Rasikh Salam was the standout performer, grabbing three wickets in a devastating spell during the last over of the powerplay. Salam’s pace and precision rattled UAE’s top order, with key dismissals of Nilansh Keswani, Vishnu Sukumaran, and Syed Haider. Other India A bowlers, including Ramandeep Singh, Nehal Wadhera, and Abhishek Sharma, provided excellent support, restricting UAE’s total to a meager 107 runs.

Ayush Badoni’s stunning flying catch

The highlight of the innings was Ayush Badoni’s spectacular catch in the 15th over. On the 6th ball of Ramandeep Singh’s over, Muhammad Jawadullah tried to hit a fullish-length delivery toward long-on. Badoni, showcasing his athleticism and fielding skills, sprinted and dived to his right, completing a jaw-dropping flying catch to dismiss Jawadullah for just 1 run.

Badoni’s catch was not only a key moment in the game but also a testament to India A’s exceptional fielding efforts throughout the match. His blinder off Ramandeep Singh’s delivery marked UAE’s 9th wicket and further cemented India A’s dominance in the game.

𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞 🔛

A super catch by Ayush Badoni! 👐@BCCI#MensT20EmergingTeamsAsiaCup2024 #ACC pic.twitter.com/imOQae1Xu6

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) October 21, 2024

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Rasikh Salam’s powerplay magic

Rasikh Salam’s three-wicket haul in the powerplay was a crucial factor in India A’s success. Speaking to broadcasters during the mid-innings break, Salam explained his strategy during the last over of the powerplay, knowing that the batters would try to attack him. He shared that the pitch provided ample assistance for the bowlers, which he fully utilized to deliver a match-changing spell. Salam emphasized the importance of giving 100% effort in every game and highlighted India A’s excellent fielding as a key to their success.

With UAE bowled out for 107, India A’s batsmen were poised for a straightforward chase, confident of securing a win with minimal difficulty.

The clash between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL 2024 witnessed an intriguing battle at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Nehal Wadhera scored 46, while Tim David gave a final push with an unbeaten 32 as Mumbai Indians posted 144/7 in 20 overs against Lucknow Super Giants.

Crucial Moments

Several pivotal moments defined MI’s innings, with notable contributions from both sides. A run-out incident involving Ayush Badoni added drama to the match, leading to a heated discussion. A controversial moment arose when Ayush Badoni was given out for being inside the crease, but with his bat in the air. The incident occurred on the first ball of the 19th over when Hardik Pandya bowled a delivery to Badoni, who then slapped the cut past point for what seemed like a comfortable run.

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Kishan missed a chance first. That was short and wide; Ayush Badoni slapped the cut past the point. The throw from the man at deep cover was a good one. Kishan collected it well as well but he missed whipping the bails off at the first instance. The dive from Badoni was clum, and his bat popped up as he dived. Though his bat went beyond the line, it was in the air. He didn’t like the call and was shocked, but the third umpire had a look and verified the fact that the bat was in the air despite the dive.

Badoni seemed surprised by the decision, indicating that he believed his bat had touched the ground inside the crease. However, the third umpire was asked to review the incident. After looking at it closely, they concluded that even though Badoni’s bat was inside the crease, it was still in the air when the bails were removed.

This decision led to debates among fans, commentators, and cricket experts. Some agreed with the third umpire, saying the decision followed the rules correctly. Others thought it was tough on Badoni, especially given the circumstances of his dismissal.

However, LSG won the match by 4 wickets. LSG win again at home. This is their sixth win of the season and they move to third on the table

First Innings: Mumbai Indians Batting

In the first innings, Mumbai Indians posted a competitive total of 144/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Nehal Wadhera played a crucial knock, scoring 46 runs, while Tim David’s unbeaten 32 provided the much-needed push towards the end of the innings. However, MI faced resistance from LSG’s disciplined bowling attack.

LSG Bowling Analysis

Lucknow Super Giants’ bowlers showcased a collective effort, restricting the Mumbai Indians’ batters and preventing them from running away with the game. Mohsin Khan emerged as the standout bowler for LSG, claiming two important wickets and maintaining pressure on the opposition.

Toss and Team Changes

KL Rahul’s strategic move to bowl first paid off for LSG, as they managed to restrict MI to a manageable total. Mayank Yadav’s return to LSG’s playing XI provided stability, while Quinton de Kock’s exclusion made way for Ashton Turner in the team.

IPL 2022 has reached its middle stages and there are some strong talents on show. 30 odd games in, the young talent on display seems to be carrying the IPL with many of the experienced hands having a tough time out in the middle.

Dewald Brevis

Dewald Brevis came into the tournament with the tag of Baby AB around him. He showed his range in the under-19 World Cup with some wonderful unorthodox shots and is starting nicely at the Mumbai Indians. Getting his chance after a few games on the bench, Dewald Brevis found his rhythm quickly. In five games, he got a start on four and has shown that he can carry his run of form from the Under-19 World Cup to the IPL.

He is using the dimensions of the ground well as expected, and surely has the potential to live up to his title as Baby AB. Additionally, Dewald Brevis has another interesting moment in IPL 2022. He dismissed Virat Kohli on the first ball he bowled to the great and such a moment is surely enough to make a statement in the league.

Tilak Varma

The Mumbai Indians are known to be good at scouting and that is a reason as to why they have two debutants who are making an impression on the tournament. Although the side is still winless, they have positives in the performance of both Tilak Varma and Dewald Brevis.

The 19-year-old batter has displayed immense consistency and responsibility and is turning out to be Mumbai’s best batter in IPL 2022. He already has a couple of fifties and has taken on some of the best bowlers in the league. His performance against Rajasthan is one such game which saw him pick the bowling nicely as he took on the likes of Trent Boult and Ravi Ashwin. Against Chennai Super Kings, Tilak Varma played a responsible hand as he came in with the side three down for very little.

Taking his time, Tilak Varma did well to bat through the innings and also provided some lusty blows to get MI to a reasonable score.

Ayush Badoni

Like Dewald Brevis, Ayush Badoni got off to a bright start in IPL 2022 with some unorthodox shots as a finsher. He started with a fifty when a run-chase was in a tense position. The fifty was full of unorthodox hits and he remained calm throughout. He went on to provide a couple more death-over finishes, and is finding the ropes with ease.

Ayush Badoni hasn’t scored as much in the last few games of IPL 2022 but that is more down to less batting time. He started the season as an exciting talent and with half the tournament to go, he is likely to continue making an impact as a finisher and definitely has a lot of promise moving forward.

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Maheesh Theeskhana

The Sri Lankan leg-spinner has come in when his side was struggling with the new-ball. Bowling in the powerplay, Theekshana instantly made impact and helped CSK solve two issues which was ruining their campaign. He helped CSK with the new ball and also played the role of an aggressive spinner, which CSK lacked despite the presence of Ali and Jadeja. Four games in, Theekshana has seven wickets and his role against RCB, taking four wickets in the game was crucial in getting CSK up and running in IPL 2022.

Jitesh Sharma

Jitesh Sharma is another player who has been on the sidelines and has had very few chances to show his skills. In the games where he did get a chance to play with some substance, he has been pretty handy. He is getting into the 20s and 30s on a regular basis and with the middle-order struggling, Jitesh Sharma is helping the Punjab Kings heavily with his runs in that stage.  He has also handled pressure fairly well, playing out Jasprit Bumrah and finding runs the next as Punjab were in a tough situation while setting a total against the Mumbai Indians.

There have been a few other talents popping up with Vaibhav Arora, Abhinav Manohar and Mukesh Choudhary among the debutants going well in IPL 2022. With half the season left and teams likely to use their bench more, the upcoming games may see more youngsters come out and show their skills as IPL 2022 rolls on.