The Kohinoor Pimpri Panthers won the inaugural edition of the Pune District Premier League (PDPL) as they defeated the Chakan Royals by six wickets at the Deccan Gymkhana Ground here on Friday. Winning the toss,the Chakan Royals elected to bat. On a flat pitch,opener Raviraj Patil scored 92 off just 57 balls to power them to a total of 162 runs for the loss of five wickets. Ajay Chavan,chipped in with an unbeaten knock of 31. Patils blitzkrieg innings saw him hit 11 fours,and five sixes. The pitch was a nightmare for any bowler who gave even a little width. For the Royals,Pravin Bhosale scalped two wickets for just 16 runs. Walking in to bat needing 163 runs to win the Panthers were riding high on the fact that they had stamped their authority on the tournament by winning six of their seven league matches against their opponents. However with the scoreline reading 37 for 2 including their star batsman Niranjan Godbole back in the dugout,it was left to Abhijeet Yewale and Yoesh Takalwae to rescue the side. With a range of colourful shots combined with careful strokeplay,the two not only resurrected the innings but also ensured that they were well ahead of the asking rate. While Yewale scored a well made 36 runs,Takalwae was not out on 67. With the run rate fast receding,the Panthers made short work of their opponents and ensured they took the match as well as the trophy. For his unbeaten knock,Takawale,who also plays for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL,was declared the man of the match.
