Robin, Reuben make winning combine

Khanolkar and Rane, after a rollicking semi-final, pushed themselves into the final where Khanolkar repeated his fine showing with the bat (20: 1×4, 1×6). But Rane (22, 1×4, 1×6) spoiled the good work, getting dismissed twice that reduced eight runs from their overall total.

Robin (27: 4×4) and Reuben (12: 1×6) romped home with two balls to spare.

Earlier in the semi-final round of three overs-a-side, Khanolkar and Rane outbatted Paras Mhambrey and Amit Dani. Khanolkar (36: 4×4, 3×6) hit a rasping boundary and two sixes off the last three balls that saw the pair win 44-43.

Mhambrey and Dani looked on course for a final slot, having remained unbeaten in an innings that included a six each. But it was Khanolkar who threw a spanner in the works with his last over blast.

In the other semis, Kenyan pair of Thomas Odoyo and Kennedy Otieno lost to Robin and Reuben 10-14.

The Kenyans began disastrously, getting out four times and could manage only a few singles which took their score to double figures.

For the winners, the only challenging part came in the third round against the Mumbai pair of Vinod Raghavan and Kiran Powar. It needed a trademark flat-batted last ball six over mid-wicket from Robin Singh that helped him and his partner qualify for the semi-final round. They won 18-16.

Speaking soon after the triumph, Robin Singh said it was his long desire to play in such a tournament in Mumbai and was happy to have done so. “I love to play fast cricket like single and double-wicket and that is the reason why I am so good in one-day cricket and not Tests,” he said, promising to be back next year if invited.

Robin-Reuben collected Rs 20,000 while the runners-up took Rs 12,000.