Maharashtra Mandal Ghana (MMG) suffered a 6-wicket defeat to Gujarat Titans (GT) in the early hours of Sunday, March 2, 2025. However, their hopes for Premier League qualification remained alive after Alpha Cricket Club defeated Devnik United in Week 13 of the ongoing Ghana Cricket Association T20 League.
MMG, with one match remaining against Hurricanes, needed an Alpha victory to improve their chances of securing a top-four finish.
Alpha Secures Top Spot With Dominant Victory
Alpha Cricket Club won the toss and sent Devnik United in to bat. With disciplined bowling but limited wicket-taking, Alpha restricted Devnik to 131/4. Chasing 132 for victory, Alpha wrapped up the game in just 16.1 overs, scoring 132/2 to claim an 8-wicket win.
Bharani Kumar delivered another standout performance, scoring an unbeaten 48 off 40 balls while also taking 2 wickets for just 13 runs in his four overs. His efforts earned him his fifth Player of the Match award. Bharani finished top of the batting charts with 251 runs and also led the bowling statistics with 16 wickets. Only Kofi Bagabena (14 wickets) remains in contention, with a game in hand. Bharani’s all-round brilliance makes him the clear MVP of Qualifier B, amassing 55.49 points, well ahead of Lee Nyarko (36.12) and Kofi Bagabena (33.47).
Alpha completed the group stage undefeated, finishing at the top of the table with 14 points.
GT CC Dominates MMG to Secure Top-Four Spot
Gujarat Titans (GT) sealed their place in the top four with a convincing 6-wicket win over MMG in the morning match on Oval B.
Winning the toss, GT elected to field first. MMG, fresh off a victory over Devnik United in Week 12, aimed to build on that momentum but struggled to establish strong partnerships. Openers Dinesh Butola (17 off 24) and Vasant Shinde (2 off 16) failed to set a solid foundation. Prakash Patel (31 off 37) and Kanjarbhat Nitesh (28* off 30) steadied the innings, helping MMG post 103/7.
GT responded aggressively, with Samson Awiah (24 off 27) and James Vifah (16 off 7) providing a blistering start. Ram Anna Gh (19* off 22) anchored the chase, ensuring GT reached their target in just 13 overs, scoring 104/4. Ram’s exceptional bowling performance (3 wickets for 15 runs) earned him the Player of the Match award.
Qualification Battle Intensifies Ahead of Final Matchweek
The final matchweek will determine MMG’s fate as they prepare to face Hurricanes on Sunday, March 9, 2025. A win for MMG will see them leapfrog Devnik United into 4th place. Currently, MMG sits 5th with 6 points and a net run rate (NRR) of +0.34, while Devnik United holds 4th place with 8 points and an NRR of +0.39. GT CC, now 3rd with 8 points, secured their place in the top four after their triumph over MMG.
Elsewhere, 2nd-placed Salt n Pepper will take on bottom-placed Swami Indians Cricket Club, while the closing ceremony on Sunday will mark the conclusion of an exciting Qualifier B season. The Ghana Cricket Association is already preparing for the upcoming Division One and Division Two seasons in April.
By: Davis Nii Attuquaye Clottey
