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Bangalore: : Suresh Raina smashed a sparkling unbeaten 92 to power Air India Red to a thumping seven-wicket victory over India Cements in their last Group D match and book a semifinal berth in the inaugural Sahara BCCI Corporate Trophy limited overs tournament on Thursday.
Raina sent the India Cements bowlers for a leather hunt in his 107-ball innings which was studded with seven fours and two sixes at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
He was ably supported by opener and wicketkeeper Naman Ojha, who made a 75-ball 59 (5X4; 2X6). The duo put on 109 runs for the second wicket from 19.2 overs to take the match away from India Cements.
Earlier, put in to bat, India Cements made 243 for nine thanks mainly to contributions from S Badrinath (91) and Rahul Dravid (66) after the match was reduced to 47 overs a side following a brief shower during the 15th over.
Air India Red chased down the target of 244 with the loss of three wickets and four overs remaining. Captain Yuvraj Singh contributed 39.
For India Cements, Sudeep Tyagi was the most successful bowler with figures of 2/46 from nine overs.
With this victory, Air India Red topped the group with six points and play Group 'B' winners Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in the first semifinal on Saturday.
Earlier, a 133-run partnership between Badrinath and Dravid for the third wicket propelled India Cements to 243 for 9.
Badrinath started off with a feisty cut and a punchy drive against the seamers before lifting Ajith Chandila for two sixes in the 19th over. He showed his fine touch with a paddle shot against the medium-pacer Mundeep Mangela.
He, however, fell in the 41st over when he charged out too early against Chandila, who pushed it wide down the leg side to have him stumped.
Badrinath faced 110 balls from which he hit eight fours and two sixes.
Dravid was out before Badrinath, holing out to long-on in the 40th over, but by then he had played another one of his signature innings of watchfulness and aggression in equal measure.
He started off with singles and twos and never looked in any trouble. He hit four fours and a six from 72 balls.
After the dismissal of Dravid and Badrinath, the lower order crumbled.
SN Netravalkar claimed three India Cements wickets by conceding 48 runs while Dhawal Kulkarni and Chandila took two wickets apiece.
