HAVERFORD, Pa. - Haverford College cricket capped off a record-breaking season with a Saturday doubleheader at Cope Field. After an undefeated regular season and going 3-0 in their first three matches of the Philadelphia International Cricket Festival (PICF), Haverford was handed their first defeat in a closely fought battle against the Wandering Anzacs before finishing on a high with a win over the Royal Automobile Club (RAC). This win meant Haverford finished as runners-up in the PICF, their best result in the tournament this century.
Opting to bat first against the Anzacs, Haverford showcased their aggressive batting style. A 21-run blitz off 13 deliveries by Captain Sidd Phatak gave the Fords' a blistering start. Co-Captain Mohanish Bajaj would then take the reins, scoring a 28-ball half-century on his way to an unbeaten stand of 54. Helped at the other end by Nihaal Kochar (29), Deep Patel (17), and Agastya Singh (14)—who all scored better than a run a ball—Haverford managed to put up 160 runs in their 20 overs.
Wickets were shared across the bowling lineup with Kochar, Phatak, Bajaj, Ishpuneet Singh, and Sanil Kagalwala all taking a wicket apiece. However, the highlight of Haverford's defense undoubtedly came from keeper Deep Patel, whose quick hands saw off the Anzacs' set batsman with a stumping, and whose sharp reflexes provided two catches to keep the wickets ticking.
Haverford's disciplined fielding made sure to take the Anzacs deep; however, the visitors managed to complete the chase with just 3 balls remaining, handing Haverford just their second defeat in as many seasons.
The next match saw Haverford batting first again against RAC. Instability at the top of the order was tempered by Bajaj, who continued his form from the morning, smashing 37 runs off 27 deliveries, including 4 boundaries and an impressive reverse sweep.
Haverford's middle order continued to stabilize before exploding to a defensible total. Patel scored a steady 29, while senior Leo Gruenstein capped off his collegiate career with one final electric cameo, an unbeaten 22 off 16. Both seniors joined Kagalwala, who poured gasoline on the fiery chase. Kagalwala appeared to have a vendetta against the trees surrounding the field, smashing 4 sixes in his 17-ball 36. Economical bowling ensured RAC would not come close to Haverford's total. The fielding effort was once again led by Patel, who again took two catches and a stumping. The spinners Bajaj and A. Singh took a wicket apiece, while the seamers cleaned up the rest, with Kochar taking 2 and I. Singh finishing with 3-13—impressive figures for most bowlers, but ones that have become routine for Singh.
Fittingly, it was the seniors who sealed victory in the 17th over. Phatak's pace and steep angle induced a poorly timed drive, which Gruenstein safely caught in an excellent running catch in the deep.
With this wicket, Haverford secured one final victory for their seniors—who capped off some of the most impressive cricketing careers recently seen at Haverford—and a second-place finish in the festival.
We will miss co-Captain Mohanish Bajaj's talents with bat and ball next year. Over his four-year career, Bajaj amassed 1,717 runs while leading the senior class with 59 wickets at an economy of 5.25. Bajaj ended his career with two centuries and countless half-centuries, a feat that hadn't been seen since the '90s. His ferocity in the field provided a foil to his friendly demeanor off the pitch, while the marks he left on advancing the program will be felt for generations of future Haverford cricketers.
Rumor has it that the only reason Leo Gruenstein ever learned to block was so that he had more time to send the ball over the boundary. Playing as a Dhoni-esque finisher, Leo led his peers with the highest career strike rate of this year's senior class. Whether he will be remembered for his safe hands in the deep, taking the most coveted wicket of the alumni match, or his bombastic boundaries, he will surely be remembered.
Deep Patel was the embodiment of an all-rounder. A rare triple-threat, he affected the team with bat, ball, and gloves. He racked up more than 450 runs while taking 19 wickets, securing 22 catches, and completing six stumpings. Deep consistently proved his dedication to improving both his and his teammates' cricketing ability—a true team player who was always ready to help in any capacity.
Initially brought into the XI for his left-handed wide-inducing abilities, Aniketh Rao quickly showed his hunger for wickets as well as runs. Rao did nothing but improve over his years on the team. His heaving stroke play was crucial to Haverford's deadly middle overs. Additionally, he provided with the ball in hand whenever called upon—producing the best strike rate among his fellow seniors with the ball, his four career wickets coming off a miserly 15 overs. Perhaps most notably, the hype Aniketh brought to every catch, wicket, and boundary will be hard to replace in the coming seasons.
Samuel Ross will be bringing his cricketing talents to Harvard next year, where they will be sorely needed. We will be hard-pressed to find someone to match his 200 strike rate from the 2022-2023 season, and we will be even harder-pressed to find someone as devoted to his teammates as Ross is. Ross was always one to be turned to for a witty comment, a chill conversation, or an impeccable British accent.
Senior captain Sidd Phatak demonstrated unparalleled devotion to the program and teammates. Throughout his career, Phatak scored a mammoth 1,850 runs, with 41 sixes and over a hundred fours. Not to be outdone by co-captain Bajaj, Phatak also managed two centuries with a top score of 111. In the field, he took 49 wickets while leading his cohort in catches as well. Phatak's 16-2 record as captain showed his mastery of leading a cricket team to victory. A match cannot be won by a single player, and perhaps Phatak's biggest accomplishment was his ability to bring out the best in every teammate, constantly pushing his peers to be the best cricketers they could be. His accomplishments over his four years demonstrated not just his clear passion for the sport of cricket, but also for the success of his teammates.
We thank our seniors for their years of contributions to Haverford cricket and will miss all of them dearly in the coming seasons!
