Ayush’s twin ton puts him in a league of his own as CG outplay Himachal

Raipur: Opener Ayush Pandey's spectacular twin centuries propelled Chhattisgarh to a clinical 198-run victory over Himachal Pradesh in their Men's Under-23 Col C K Nayudu Trophy match. The four-day fixture, played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium from February 6 to 9 , saw the hosts dominate with both bat and ball.Himachal Pradesh won the toss and elected to field, but Chhattisgarh's batting lineup stood firm. The hosts amassed 424 runs in 113.5 overs in their first innings. Ayush Pandey led the charge with a solid 100, supported by half-centuries from Rahul Pradhan (59), Mayank Verma (57), Harsh Sahu (52), and Dev Aditya Singh (52). For the visitors, Prashant Kumar was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 4 wickets for the loss of significant runs.The Chhattisgarh bowlers then took control, dismissing Himachal Pradesh for a mere 183 runs in 57.3 overs. Deepak Yadav delivered a standout performance, taking 6 wickets, while Varun Singh Bhuie chipped in with 3 wickets. Amanpreet Singh (52) and Innesh Mahajan (42) were the only notable contributors for the visitors.With a massive first-innings lead, Chhattisgarh quickened the pace in their second outing. Ayush Pandey continued his dream run, remaining unbeaten on 164 to record his second century of the match. Mayank Verma contributed 68 as Chhattisgarh declared their second innings at 309 for the loss of 4 wickets in 61.5 overs.Set a daunting target of 551 runs, Himachal Pradesh were bundled out for 352 in 97 overs on the final day. Despite a fighting 158 from Vaibhav Kalta, the visitors could not withstand the pressure.