10th MNCA Plate Tournament Shah Jahan enjoys six-for as IBSA beat THAU by 2 wickets for 5th win, confirm semi-final berth

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 22 : IBSA, Yumnam Leikai rode on Shah Jahan’s six wicket haul to beat THAU, Thangmeiband by 2 wickets for their fifth win in 6 Group B matches in the 10th MNCA Plate Tournament.
The win at Lairenjam Public Ground assured IBSA of a top two finish in the league round and eventually confirmed their place in the semi-final alongside league leaders PSC, Khuyathong who had won 6 times in 7 matches.
THAU, who had been struggling with just two wins in last 5 matches, posted 125/7 in 33 overs after electing to bat first as Md Shah Jahan picked a rare six-for (6/21 in 7 overs) to throttle the innings for IBSA and IBSA chased down the target in 25.4 overs with 2 wickets left to spare riding on leading knocks from Abdul Rafique 28 off 32 and Keithellakpam Nelson 26 off 40.
Pukhrambam Hilbert 27 off 39 and Khundongbam Caleb 25 off 50 led the scoring for THAU earlier in the first innings before Th Sushil 2/31 and Kh Romesh 2/36 led the bowling attack in a lost cause.
Md Shah Jahan was adjudged player of the match.
IBSA will play SSU in their ultimate league match.
Elsewhere at Moijing Public Ground, SDC, Laipham Khunou registered their third win in 6 Group A matches by beating SHADOW, Thangmeiband by 78 runs.
SDC were dismissed for 157 runs in 28.3 overs after electing to bat first but their bowling attack led by Sachin (4/7 in 3.2 overs), Ch Arunjit (2/10 in 3 overs), and Deepak (2/17 in 4 overs) deflated SHADOW chase and set up their collapse at 79 within 21.2 overs.
Earlier in the first innings, N Rajiv 41 off 38 and Narendra 41 not out off 41 were the main run getters for SDC as S Loyumba (3/26), Y Manjeet (2/35) and H Chinglemba (2/22) led the bowling attack for SHADOW.
For SHADOW, Y Manjeet 30 off 53 and A Gobin 15 off 16 were the only double digit run getters.
Sachin of SDC who shone with the ball was named player of the match.