Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 24 (ANI): The Lucknow Falcons secured their second consecutive victory of the UP T20 League Season 4, defeating defending champions Kashi Rudras by 14 runs via the DLS method in Match 17 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Kashi Rudras skipper Karan Sharma won the toss and elected to bowl first. However, the decision was immediately challenged by the Lucknow openers, Mohammad Saif and Himanshu Singh. The pair dominated the powerplay, stitching together an aggressive 67-run opening stand, according to a press release from the UPT20 League.
The breakthrough finally came courtesy of the Kashi captain himself. Karan Sharma introduced himself into the attack and promptly dismissed Himanshu Singh for a well-made 36 off 22 balls, following it up shortly after with the wicket of Ajeet Verma (13).
Despite wickets falling at regular intervals at the other end, opener Mohammad Saif remained an immovable force. Anchoring the innings beautifully, Saif accelerated perfectly, showcasing tremendous power-hitting to smash a brilliant 89 off 57 deliveries, decorated with three boundaries and seven towering sixes. His magnificent knock ensured the Lucknow Falcons posted a highly competitive 174/7 in their 20 overs.
For the Kashi Rudras, Atal Bihari Vipin Rai was the pick of the seamers, returning figures of 3/38, while skipper Karan Sharma delivered a highly economical spell of 2/17.
Chasing 175 for victory, the defending champions suffered a disastrous start. Lucknow pacer Akshu Bajwa bowled a devastating spell with the new ball, tearing through the Kashi top order to leave them reeling at 17/3. Bajwa's hostile burst included the massive wicket of Kashi skipper Karan Sharma, who fell for a golden duck.
Attempting to rescue the innings, Impact Player Uvaish Ahmed provided some brief fireworks, scoring a quickfire 29 off 17 balls. However, his counter-attack was cut short by Vipraj Nigam, halting Kashi's momentum. Renowned Indian international and Lucknow Falcons captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar then joined the party, removing Upendra Yadav to plunge the Rudras deeper into trouble.
With Kashi Rudras struggling at 104/5 in 14 overs, heavy rain interrupted play. The stoppage proved terminal for the match. According to the DLS par score, Kashi was found to be 14 runs short of the requirement, handing the Lucknow Falcons a 14-run victory.
For his outstanding knock that set up the match, Mohammad Saif was rightfully adjudged the Player of the Match.
Praising the veteran's match-winning effort, Lucknow Falcons skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar said, "Saif is one of our most experienced and senior players, and he's doing exactly what we expect from him. Cricket is a game where sometimes you try very hard, but things don't go your way. However, the way he batted today and how he has been batting throughout the tournament, he is delivering exactly what we need. He is giving us everything you would expect from a senior professional." (ANI)
UPT20 2026: Mohammad Saif's 89 secure 14-run DLS win for Lucknow Falcons over Kashi Rudras
