Indore, Madhya Pradesh, June 22: Ujjain Falcons signed off their Aditya Birla Group Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026 campaign on a winning note, registering a four-wicket victory over Bundelkhand Bulls at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
Batting first, Bundelkhand Bulls were bowled out for 160 in 19.5 overs. The Bulls made a positive start as Kushagra Wadhwa and skipper Abhishek Pathak added 37 runs for the opening wicket before Pathak departed after a quickfire 36 off just 14 deliveries.
Wadhwa then combined with Shivang Kumar for a 40-run partnership for the second wicket. However, the opener could not capitalise on his start and was dismissed for 12 off 13 balls.
Although the batters got starts, none could convert them into substantial scores as the Bulls kept losing wickets at regular intervals. The highlight of the innings came when Aryan Pandey claimed only the second hattrick of the season, aided by a breathtaking catch from Darshan Rathore in the deep.
Pandey began the hattrick by trapping Goutam Joshi in front of the stumps for 16 off 11 balls before cleaning up Omkarnath Singh with the very next delivery. On the hattrick ball, Harshit Parsai attempted to take the aerial route but failed to get the timing right, and Rathore completed a fine catch near the boundary.
Pandey finished with outstanding figures of 4/16 in 2.5 overs, while Masoom Kaif also impressed, returning 3/19 from his four overs.
In reply, Ujjain Falcons had a shaky start to the chase and were reduced to 13/2 early on. Captain Chanchal Rathore and Madhav Tiwari attempted to stabilise the innings, but Tiwari’s brisk knock of 20 off 10 came to an end when the score was 33 in just 3.5 overs.
Chanchal then found support from Ojaswa Yadav as the duo looked to rebuild the chase and guide the Falcons back into the contest. They stitched a partnership of 85 runs for the fourth wicket before Ojaswa was eventually out for 38 off 29.
The skipper found excellent support from Aryan Pandey, who walked in and kept the momentum going. The duo added a valuable 33-run partnership for the fifth wicket, putting the Falcons firmly in control of the chase. Chanchal eventually departed after a composed 63 off 50 deliveries, while Pandey chipped in with a quickfire 24 off 16 before returning to the pavilion.
However, the wickets did little to derail the Falcons’ progress, as the lower order held their nerves and guided the team home in the final over to seal a comfortable win.
Reflecting on the team’s win and his hattrick, Aryan said, “I’m delighted to have contributed to the team’s win. Taking a hattrick is always a special feeling and it’s a moment I’ll cherish. More importantly, it was a complete team effort, with everyone playing their role well.”
