HAVERFORD, Pa. - Coming into Sunday's clash against Germantown Cricket Club (GCC), the Haverford Cricket team was determined: after Saturday's heartbreaking near-miss, the boys wanted to leave the weekend with at least one win under their belts.
This time, fortune favored Haverford at the toss – the Fords chose to bat first. Openers Agastya Singh and Rustom Dubash started with confidence, playing patiently against GCC's top bowlers. Unfortunately, Singh fell early, but Dubash dug in bravely, facing 38 deliveries to lay down a foundation. That stability proved crucial, because walking in next was the man of the weekend: Nihaal Kochar, fresh off his unforgettable century against BOCC.
After Dubash's dismissal, junior Sanil Kagawala joined Kochar at the crease, and together they turned the innings into a spectacle. Both scored stylish half-centuries – Kochar steady and clinical, Sanil explosive and fearless. Their 93-run partnership was filled with eight fours and seven towering sixes, some of which flew straight at the pavilion, forcing teammates and supporters to duck for cover. Each strike sent the pavilion into raptures – the noise, the energy, the joy were exactly what the team needed after Saturday's loss.
Kochar eventually departed for a well-made fifty, caught at mid-off, but Sanil continued the onslaught. In one unforgettable over, he smashed 23 runs, bringing up his maiden half-century and finishing with a brilliant 63. Captain Ishupuneet Singh then came in late with a quickfire 16 off 11 balls, pushing the total to a commanding 183/5 at the close of 25 overs.
With runs on the board, confidence grew. Kochar took the new ball and set the tone with disciplined lines. GCC's top three batters combined for about 50 runs, but beyond that, their innings unraveled. The star of the show in the field? Haverford's bowlers. Juniors Anuj Poddar and Sanil Kagawala each achieved the rare feat of claiming hat-tricks, sending shockwaves through the opposition. In the field, new sophomore recruit Calder Rahn and captain Singh held onto key catches, while Singh redeemed himself after some earlier drops with a superb delivery that bowled out one of GCC's openers.
As the overs ticked by, GCC's chase grew more desperate. Their number six provided brief resistance with 33 runs, but otherwise, wickets fell steadily. At one point, they needed 88 off 36 balls with half their side gone. By the final over, the equation stood at 37 from 6—an impossible task at 147/8.
Captain Singh handed the ball to junior Rohan Sarma, giving him a taste of match bowling. With the whole team urging him on – and everyone secretly praying he didn't add to the 20 or so wides already bowled – Sarma delivered magic. His very first ball clipped the bails for a wicket. From there, he calmly closed out the over, and GCC finished at 153/9, handing Haverford a 30-run victory.
The cheers that followed were not just about the win, but about what the win represented. After Saturday's heartbreak, the team had shown resilience, teamwork, and joy in the game. Sanil's maiden fifty, Anuj and Sanil's hat-tricks, Dubash's patient opening, Ishupuneet's leadership, great fielding – and, once again, Nihaal's brilliance with the bat – painted a picture of a side that is no longer just "rebuilding."
This weekend proved something important: Haverford Cricket is not just surviving a transition year – it is thriving in it. With youthful energy, new heroes emerging, and the spirit of cricket alive at Cope Field, perhaps this season won't be so bad after all. In fact, it might just be the start of something special.
