<p>Tamil Nadu produced an impressive batting display after left-arm spinner M Siddarth’s four-wicket haul as they lifted the coveted Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy after defeating Baroda by seven wickets in the final here on Sunday.</p>.<p>This was Tamil Nadu’s second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph, after winning their first title way back in 2006-07. Baroda, who had won the title twice in the past (in 2011-12 and 2013-14), ended runners-up this time.</p>.<p>Siddharth (4/20) spun his web around the Baroda batsmen to restrict them to a meagre 120 for 9 and then Tamil Nadu overhauled the target in 18 overs, with opener C Hari Nishaanth top-scoring with 35.</p>.<p>Chasing 121 for a win, Tamil Nadu lost opener Narayan Jagadeesan (14) early as pacer Lukman Meriwala (1/34) picked up the first wicket, with the opposition at 26/1.</p>.<p>However, Nishaanth (35; 3x4; 1x6) continued playing his shots and was joined by Baba Aparajith (29 not out off 35 balls) as Tamil Nadu reached 61/1 after 10 overs.</p>.<p>However, medium-pacer Babashafi Pathan removed Nishaanth in the 12th over, as he holed out in the deep, to reduce TN to 67/2 and give Baroda a glimmer of hope.</p>.<p>Skipper Dinesh Karthik played his part to perfection with a 16-ball 22 but perished when his side needed 20 runs off 23 balls.</p>.<p>Aparajith and Shahrukh Khan (18 not out off 7 balls; 2x4; 1x6) then took TN home. Shahrukh, fittingly, finished the game with a boundary.</p>.<p>Earlier, Siddharth’s brilliant bowling upfront enabled TN to restrict Baroda to 120 for 9 on a difficult track.</p>.<p>It was largely due to the 58-run seventh-wicket stand between Vishnu Solanki (49 off 55 balls; 1x4; 2x6) and Atit Sheth (29 off 30 balls; 2x4;1x6) that Baroda after being reduced to 36/6 managed a three-figure total.</p>.<p>Siddharth used the pitch to his advantage by varying the pace of his deliveries and also using the crease well to create awkward angles for the batsmen.</p>.<p>Put into bat on a Sardar Patel Stadium track that offered both turn and bounce, Baroda lost left-handed opener Ninad Rathva (1) early as the move to start with spinners from both the ends paid off for Tamil Nadu.</p>.<p>Rathva was caught by KB Arun Karthik off offie Baba Aparajith (1/16). Aparajith and left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (0/11) kept things tight as Baroda was 11/1 after three overs.</p>.<p>Skipper Kedar Devdhar (16), who had hammered three boundaries, could not convert his starts and gave a sitter to Narayan Jagadeesan at cover as the wiry Siddharth picked up his first wicket.</p>.<p><strong>Brief scores:</strong></p>.<p>Baroda 120/9 (Vishnu Solanki 49, Atit Sheth 29; M Siddharth 4/20; M Mohammed 1/16) lost to Tamil Nadu 123/3 (C Hari Nishaanth 35, Baba Aparajith 29 not out; Atit Sheth 1/20, Babashafi Pathan 1/23) by 7 wickets.</p>
<p>Tamil Nadu produced an impressive batting display after left-arm spinner M Siddarth’s four-wicket haul as they lifted the coveted Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy after defeating Baroda by seven wickets in the final here on Sunday.</p>.<p>This was Tamil Nadu’s second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph, after winning their first title way back in 2006-07. Baroda, who had won the title twice in the past (in 2011-12 and 2013-14), ended runners-up this time.</p>.<p>Siddharth (4/20) spun his web around the Baroda batsmen to restrict them to a meagre 120 for 9 and then Tamil Nadu overhauled the target in 18 overs, with opener C Hari Nishaanth top-scoring with 35.</p>.<p>Chasing 121 for a win, Tamil Nadu lost opener Narayan Jagadeesan (14) early as pacer Lukman Meriwala (1/34) picked up the first wicket, with the opposition at 26/1.</p>.<p>However, Nishaanth (35; 3x4; 1x6) continued playing his shots and was joined by Baba Aparajith (29 not out off 35 balls) as Tamil Nadu reached 61/1 after 10 overs.</p>.<p>However, medium-pacer Babashafi Pathan removed Nishaanth in the 12th over, as he holed out in the deep, to reduce TN to 67/2 and give Baroda a glimmer of hope.</p>.<p>Skipper Dinesh Karthik played his part to perfection with a 16-ball 22 but perished when his side needed 20 runs off 23 balls.</p>.<p>Aparajith and Shahrukh Khan (18 not out off 7 balls; 2x4; 1x6) then took TN home. Shahrukh, fittingly, finished the game with a boundary.</p>.<p>Earlier, Siddharth’s brilliant bowling upfront enabled TN to restrict Baroda to 120 for 9 on a difficult track.</p>.<p>It was largely due to the 58-run seventh-wicket stand between Vishnu Solanki (49 off 55 balls; 1x4; 2x6) and Atit Sheth (29 off 30 balls; 2x4;1x6) that Baroda after being reduced to 36/6 managed a three-figure total.</p>.<p>Siddharth used the pitch to his advantage by varying the pace of his deliveries and also using the crease well to create awkward angles for the batsmen.</p>.<p>Put into bat on a Sardar Patel Stadium track that offered both turn and bounce, Baroda lost left-handed opener Ninad Rathva (1) early as the move to start with spinners from both the ends paid off for Tamil Nadu.</p>.<p>Rathva was caught by KB Arun Karthik off offie Baba Aparajith (1/16). Aparajith and left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (0/11) kept things tight as Baroda was 11/1 after three overs.</p>.<p>Skipper Kedar Devdhar (16), who had hammered three boundaries, could not convert his starts and gave a sitter to Narayan Jagadeesan at cover as the wiry Siddharth picked up his first wicket.</p>.<p><strong>Brief scores:</strong></p>.<p>Baroda 120/9 (Vishnu Solanki 49, Atit Sheth 29; M Siddharth 4/20; M Mohammed 1/16) lost to Tamil Nadu 123/3 (C Hari Nishaanth 35, Baba Aparajith 29 not out; Atit Sheth 1/20, Babashafi Pathan 1/23) by 7 wickets.</p>