Maharashtra’s 19-year-old allrounder scored a match-winning hundred on his List A debut

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2025Arshin Kulkarni, Maharashtra’s 19-year-old allrounder, scored a century on List A debut to lead his side to victory against Punjab and into the semifinals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kulkarni top-scored with 107 off 137 balls as Maharashtra overcame a top-order wobble to post 275 for 6, which was 70 too many for Punjab.Maharashtra were reduced to 8 for 2 in the third over with Arshdeep Singh, who finished with a three-wicket haul that took him to the top of the wicket charts, accounting for the openers. Maharashtra captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was bowled by an away-swinger that pitched on leg stump and beat his outside edge to hit the top of off in the first over of the match. In the third, Arshdeep had left-hand batter Siddesh Veer nicking behind.Kulkarni and Ankit Bawne, the veteran batter, put on 145 for the third wicket. Bawne scored 60 before he fell to spin-bowling allrounder Naman Dhir. Rahul Tripathi then fell for 15 as Maharashtra stumbled.It wasn’t until the last five overs that they regained some momentum, with wicketkeeper batter Nikhil Naik hitting an unbeaten 29-ball 52. Maharashtra scored 63 off the last six overs to finish on 275.Left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary began Maharashtra’s defence with superb swing bowling to dismiss Prabhsimran Singh and Abhishek Sharma as Punjab tried to speed away. He had a third wicket in the 10th over – his fifth in a row – when he dismissed Nehal Wadhera and left Punjab 50 for 3.When Punjab’s middle order, comprising the dangerous Ramandeep Singh and Naman Dhir, failed to fire, Maharashtra were runaway winners. From 123 for 7, Arshdeep muscled a few big blows to reduce Punjab’s margin of defeat. He made his highest List A score of 49 before being the last batter dismissed as they were all out for 205.