Lucknow: After trailing for the first three days of the match, Uttar Pradesh turned the tables on Hyderabad on the final day to clinch a hard-fought 26-run victory in the ongoing U-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy Elite match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday.It was a day to remember for Vipraj Nigam and Aaqib Khan, as the duo emerged as a nightmare for Hyderabad, who needed 120 runs with eight wickets in hand at the start of the final day. UP earned 11 points from the match and finished second in Group B with 30 points from three matches. Hyderabad resumed their innings at 74/2 in 23 overs, needing 120 more runs with eight wickets in hand. Skipper Aman Rao and Avanish Rao had added 44 runs overnight and looked set to keep the chase on track.However, Aaqib Khan changed the course of the match in his third over of the morning.Aaqib struck first by dismissing Avanish Rao for 24 at 78/3 in 25.1 overs. He then removed Wafi Kachchhi for a duck at 78/4 in 25.4 overs and Ravuri Sai Sharan for zero at 78/5 in 25.6 overs. The three-wicket over dismantled Hyderabad’s middle order and brought Uttar Pradesh back into the contest. At the other end, leg-spinner Vipraj Nigam took charge and tightened UP’s grip on the match. He dismissed Pranav Verma for 22, Khush Agarwal for 12 and Tarun Rajan for a duck. Aman Rao(68), who fought hard to complete a half-century, was also dismissed by Vipraj as Hyderabad’s chase collapsed under pressure. Aaqib struck again later to remove Nishanth S for 12, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 167.The victory gave Uttar Pradesh their second consecutive win in the tournament. Vipraj Nigam finished with 11 wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings, while Aaqib Khan’s early burst proved decisive for Uttar Pradesh. Speaking after the match, Vipraj said the team had a clear plan, as the Day 4 pitch was not easy to bat on. He also credited Aaqib for providing an excellent start.Vipraj said switching from white-ball to red-ball cricket had been challenging, as he had joined the UP squad only two days before the match after playing for India A against Australia in Puducherry. He credited the coaching and support staff for arranging additional red-ball practice, which helped him adjust quickly.Meanwhile, Aaqib said the team had decided in the morning to go for a win. His plan was to bowl at the stumps and make use of the assistance available from the pitch. He added that Vipraj supported him well from the other end and the energy displayed by the entire team made the difference.
