The Meerut Mavericks, led by Rinku Singh, have had an inconsistent run in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League. While they started the tournament well, they haven’t been able to maintain a string of victories. Usually, the team’s performance on the field dictates the outcome, but this time, they suffered an unfair defeat. The unexpected turn of events left Rinku and his team without answers. This wasn’t due to any team or umpire’s actions, but rather the weather, which changed mid-match, costing Rinku Singh’s Meerut a win.
Key Performance by Rizvi
In the 16th match of the UP T20 League held at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on August 25, the Meerut Mavericks faced off against the Kanpur Superstars. Kanpur batted first and scored 149 runs in 20 overs. Kanpur’s captain, Samer Rizvi, was the top scorer, hitting 78 runs off 48 balls. Rizvi stayed at the crease until the end and helped his team achieve a competitive score, which included 7 fours and 5 sixes. No other batsman was able to put up a significant score.
Weather’s Impact on the Match
After restricting Kanpur to that score, Rinku and his team likely felt confident about their chances. But the team’s start was not good, as they lost 2 wickets with only 12 runs on the board. Meerut took 4 overs to make those 12 runs. Following a slow beginning, Swastik Chikara sped up the scoreboard and took the team to 41 runs in 8 overs.
However, the weather played spoilsport. While the weather was favorable to Kanpur throughout their innings, rain started during Meerut’s innings and did not stop. As a result, the match was abandoned, and Meerut lost by 14 runs through the Duckworth-Lewis method. This was their third loss in six matches this season. Even so, the team remains in second place in the points table.