Leading the charge was Gully to Glory Award winner Saif Ali, who played a fiery knock in every sense. Saif hammered 58 off just 33 deliveries, striking two towering nine-run hits and two sixes, anchoring the innings while accelerating when it mattered most
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Tiigers of Kolkata delivered their most dominant performance of ISPL Season 3, registering a commanding win over Srinagar in their third league match at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, the Tiigers put up a record-breaking 136 for 4, the highest team total of the season so far, setting the tone early and never letting Srinagar settle into the contest.
Leading the charge was Gully to Glory Award winner Saif Ali, who played a fiery knock in every sense. Saif hammered 58 off just 33 deliveries, striking two towering nine-run hits and two sixes, anchoring the innings while accelerating when it mattered most. His knock ensured Kolkata not only posted a defendable score, but one that put the opposition under pressure from the outset.
Saroj Paramanik provided the momentum in the middle overs, following up his heroics from the previous game with another match-winning contribution. Promoted up the order, Saroj smashed 34 off 15 balls, including three nine-run hits in a single over, injecting urgency into the innings and shifting momentum decisively in Kolkata’s favour. The knock proved crucial in pushing the scoring rate at a key phase of the innings. This marked Saroj’s second consecutive Man of the Match award in Season 3, a remarkable turnaround after going winless in the category since the league’s inaugural season. Kolkata’s bowlers then ensured there was no way back for Srinagar. A crucial maiden 50:50 over by Vivek Mohanan choked the chase at a vital stage, while Krushna Gawali produced the catch of the match, pulling off a stunning effort in the field that summed up the Tiigers’ overall intensity.
For Saif Ali, the innings was another milestone in a career defined by resilience rather than smooth progression. From leaving college to pursue cricket full-time, piling up runs in Bengal’s U23 circuit without getting the breakthrough he hoped for, to walking away from leather-ball cricket altogether in 2020, Saif’s journey has been one of reinvention. Tennis-ball cricket gave him a second innings, and ISPL became his stage — from Chennai to Srinagar, and now Kolkata. The highest run-scorer of the 2025 season and Player of the Tournament, Saif continues to play with the hunger of someone who knows what it means to start over. Backed by a close-knit family and now motivated further by fatherhood, he balances ambition with perspective, chasing stability as much as success.
Speaking after the match, Saif said, “This innings means a lot to me. I would like to thank Aksha Kamboj ma’am and the entire team for backing me and creating a carefree environment where I can express myself. When you’re given responsibility at the top, your only focus is to make it count. I wanted to bat deep, give confidence to the boys around me, and make the best use of the conditions. Records are nice, but what matters most is that the team keeps winning and moving in the right direction.”
Tiigers skipper Bhavesh Pawar praised the impact of the senior players, placing special emphasis on Saif Ali’s role at the top. “We had a lot of faith in Saif, and the way he batted gave the entire team confidence. He took responsibility, stayed till the end, and set the tone for the innings. Saroj Dada also played a very important knock in the middle, which helped us push the momentum. This format can change anytime, so we’re not thinking too far ahead. We’re just trying to win the matches in front of us and play our normal game,” Bhavesh said.
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