HAVERFORD, Pa. - Haverford College won both of its matches on Friday, May 2, at Cope Field.
In the first match of the day, Haverford played the Mad Dogs Cricket Club from the New York City area and secured a comfortable victory.
Mad Dogs won the toss and elected to bat first. They were all out for 81 runs in the allotted 20 overs. Kaith (18) and Malachi (14) were the top scorers for the visitors.
Sidd Phatak and Mohanish Bajaj bowled exceptionally well, taking three wickets each for 13 and 14 runs, respectively. Ishpuneet Singh also bowled effectively, taking two wickets for 10 runs.
Haverford chased down the required 82 runs in just 6.4 overs. Mohanish Bajaj and Nihaal Kochar played excellent shots during their fine innings. Bajaj retired after scoring 40 runs (as per the festival rule that allows for more players to bat), while Nihaal contributed 34 runs. Haverford won by 8 wickets.
In the afternoon, Haverford faced its toughest group match against the Cavaliers, a well-established team from Massachusetts.
Haverford won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Sidd and Mohanish gave the team a strong start, playing elegant shots all around the wicket. Both retired after scoring 40 runs. Players who hadn't batted in previous matches seized their opportunity: Sanil Kagalwala (41, retired), Deep Patel (17), Leo Gruenstein (22), and Ishpuneet Singh (20) made strong contributions, helping Haverford post a commanding total of 222 runs in the allotted 20 overs.
Kagalwala's performance was especially impressive, highlighted by several big sixes and composed batting. He promises to be a major asset for Haverford in future competitions.
Merlin took two wickets for 42 runs. The Cavaliers began their chase aggressively. Jacques (40, retired) and Mukund (40, retired) played fluently, but after their retirements, the run rate dipped. Vidit added 32 runs, but the Cavaliers ultimately fell short, finishing on 171.
Phatak delivered a standout bowling performance, taking four wickets for 17 runs. Mohanish Bajaj and Ishpuneet Singh also contributed, taking two wickets each for 28 and 34 runs, respectively. Nihaal Kochar and Sanil Kagalwala provided solid support with the ball. Haverford College won by 51 runs.
