New Delhi, Aug 11 : Rahul Chaudhary's final-over hattrick went in vain as South Delhi Superstarz chased down a huge target of 197 runs with three wickets in hand in 19.5 overs.

After restricting the Tigers to 196 for nine wickets in the first innings, the Superstarz began their chase with determination but soon found themselves in early trouble as opener Kunwar Bidhuri fell cheaply after scoring 6 runs, leaving the team needing to rebuild from a precarious position. However, the middle order rose to the occasion with two outstanding batting performances that turned the match decisively in their favour.

Anmol Sharma emerged as the standout performer for the Superstarz, crafting a magnificent knock of 79 runs off 52 deliveries. His innings, studded with seven boundaries and four towering sixes, provided the backbone of the successful run chase and kept the required rate manageable during the crucial middle overs. Moreover, Tejasvi Dahiya complemented Sharma brilliantly with a scintillating 72 runs from just 38 balls, an explosive innings that featured three fours and five maximums.

With 12 runs required in the final over, the chase reached a dramatic climax as Rahul Chaudhary claimed a hat-trick by dismissing Anmol Sharma, Sumit Mathur, and Gulzar Sandhu in first three consecutive deliveries of the over. However, Rahul conceded a four on a wide meaning that the Superstarz needed seven off three balls for victory. The match was hung in the balance until Abhishek Khandelwal sealed the deal with a crucial six off the penultimate ball of the innings.

For the New Delhi Tigers, Prince Yadav emerged as the pick of the bowlers with figures of three wickets for 41 runs in his four-over spell, while Rahul Chaudhary's late hat-trick gave him three wickets for 48 runs.

Earlier, New Delhi Tigers produced a good show with bat to post a formidable total after they were asked to bat first by South Delhi Superstarz. The Tigers began their innings with steady contributions from the top and middle order, keeping the scoreboard ticking from the outset. Opener Dhruv Kaushik scored 65 off 41 and he was supported by middle-order batter Parth Bali who scored 26 runs in as many balls.

While the Superstarz bowlers managed to keep things under control in the initial overs, the momentum began to shift during the latter stages of the innings as Vaibhav Rawal scored 22 off 17 delivers. However, the turning point came in the death overs when Deepak Punia stepped up with a blistering display of power hitting. Punia smashed a rapid 54 runs off just 24 deliveries, including two massive sixes in the final over, propelling his team to 196/9.

For the South Delhi Superstarz, Aman Bharti shone with the ball as he picked three wickets and gave 31 runs in his quota of four overs. Also, Himanshu Chauhan and Sumit Kumar Beniwal each claimed a wicket but unable to fully contain the late surge from the Tigers. Chauhan conceded 38 runs from his three overs, while Beniwal gave away 40 runs in his full quota of four overs.

/IANS