New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) Blue Warriors, led by Lalit Dayma, registered a commanding victory over Star XI in the final of the six-a-side tennis ball cricket tournament, sponsored by Victorious Endeavours, at the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Siri Fort Stadium, to lift the title for the first time on Sunday.

The two-day tournament, which featured ten teams, was played in an innovative format with six-over matches, where only boundaries, fours, and sixes were counted towards the total score, making it a high-intensity, power-hitting contest.

In the final, Blue Warriors won the toss and opted to bat first. Openers Mohit Meena and Tarun came out all guns blazing, putting the Star XI bowlers under immense pressure right from the start.

Mohit Meena played a crucial supporting role, scoring a brisk 34 off 18 balls, which included five towering sixes and a four. He was dismissed in the fifth over while attempting another big shot.

At the other end, Tarun delivered a sensational innings, remaining unbeaten on 56 off just 18 deliveries. His knock was studded with two fours and eight sixes. Riding on his explosive batting, the Blue Warriors posted a formidable total of 93/1 in their allotted six overs.

Chasing a challenging target, Star XI began on a promising note, scoring 15 runs in the first over and looking well in the contest. However, the momentum shifted quickly in favour of Blue Warriors in the second over when they dismissed Gaurav Rahi for a five-ball duck.

The breakthrough triggered a collapse as Blue Warriors tightened their grip on the match. Regular wickets in the middle overs halted Star XI’s progress, and the pressure of the required run rate mounted steadily. Despite their initial start, Star XI could only manage 45/3 in six overs, falling well short of the target by 48 runs.

The winning team was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh along with the trophy, capping off an impressive campaign in the tournament.

The event also carried a social message, promoting road safety awareness. ‘Helmet Man of India’ Raghvendra Kumar attended the final as the chief guest and urged players and spectators to adhere to traffic rules.

He emphasised the importance of wearing helmets, highlighting that such simple precautions can save lives, and encouraged cricketers to use their platform to spread awareness.

–IANS

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