ARUSHA Boys posted a slim one-wicket win over Dar Combined as the pursuit of silverware in the 2025 Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) Inter-Academy League gathered pace in Dar es Salaam last week.

The well-contested match, played at the Leaders Club venue, witnessed Dar Combined bat first and were bowled out for 123 runs in 29 overs of the 30-over clash.

The opening batting duo of Dev Mandania and Sayan Vijay Jobanputra had Dar Combined getting off to a good start, aiming at taking control of the innings.

Jobanputra scored 18 runs at a strike rate of 66.67 and fellow opener ended up with 16 runs at a strike rate of 88.89.

Arusha Boys' bowling unit attempted to weaken Dar Combined's batting resolve with a quick dismissal of the other top-order batsmen, Parth Sanjay Vasan, skipper Salman Yasser, and Khush Pandya.

None of the Dar Combined's top-order trio had managed to post two digits, which meant the middle order and low-order batsmen had to step up.

Dar Combined battled to wrestle control of the batting time through solid shots showcased by the middle-order cricketers, led by Abhinav Sharma.

Sharma was the cricketer with the most meaningful effort when Dar Combined took the crease, notching 24 runs.

Hemattrey Jamdar (19 runs) and Prakash Chauhan (11 runs) fought to improve Dar Combined's score having chipped in with two-digit figures.

Twenty extras leaked by the Arusha Boys bowling unit offered a notable boost to Dar Combined's plan to garner an imposing total.

Arusha Boys' bowling unit, led by Baraka Ruben, fought vigorously during their side's bowling time- fighting to prevent Dar from setting up a challenging target.

Ruben was the most impressive bowling unit member, as the player posted 3-13.

Fellow bowlers, Manan Parmal, who garnered 2-20 and Deslin Bernard, who notched 2-15, sought to put pressure on the Dar Combined batsmen.

Even though mounting a successful run chase of 124 runs might have looked tricky for Arusha Boys, the cricketers battled heroically and lived up to expectations.

The Juma Safari-led Arusha Boys ultimately went on to notch 124/9 in 28.4 overs to garner the famous victory.

Opener, Safari, successfully orchestrated the chase having nailed 40 runs at a strike rate of 66.67.

Fellow opener Michael Justine was equally in good shape, grabbing 20 runs, and the duo had Arusha Boys reaching 78-2 upon their exit after 19.3 overs.

Rahul Sridhar garnered 11 runs as the batting squad kept on pushing for the successful chase of the opponents' score.

Despite Dar Combined's bowling unit having fought to weaken Arusha Boys' spirit with the dismissal of the remaining top-order cricketers, the batting team was unperturbed by the setback.

Purnansh Goel, deployed at the middle order, put his resoluteness to play with several good knocks as the remaining kept falling in short spells.

Goel grabbed 18 runs not out as he, eventually, set up the 10th-wicket stand with Bernard to have Arusha Boys come out victorious.

Much as Dar Combined's bowling unit put up a spirited display, the performers' efforts ended in vain.

Sayan has the best bowling figures when Dar Combined fielded, notching 4-17, as fellow cricketers, Chauhan and Mandania, fought to up the tempo with equally good figures.

Chauhan's six-over quota ended up with the cricketer posting 3-19 and Mandania secured 2-16 in two overs.

The TCA Inter-Academy League, hosted by the national cricket governing body, gears towards bolstering efforts to develop the sport from the grassroots.

Promising junior cricketers from across Tanzania put their skills on show in the showpiece to gain experience and improve their game.

According to a TCA officer, the showdown, which got underway on June 26, will climax on July 1, which will witness the grand final take place.

The league encounters are held at the UDSM and the Leaders Club grounds in the city.