Chaturved, Kousik sizzle for Madurai Panthers

Requiring 185 for a win, Tiruppur was bundled out for a paltry 103 in 17.4 overs with none of the batsmen making substantial contribution. Tiruppur got off to a nightmarish start losing seven wickets for just 38 runs in the 10th over. Earlier, Madurai made a strong finish to raise a respectable total on board.

Captain NS Chaturved (41 not out off 23 balls, 1 four, 4 sixes) and all-rounder Jagateesan Kousik (40 off 20 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) provided the impetus with a 78-run partnership off 42 balls for the fourth wicket to lift Madurai to 184 for four.

Chaturved and Kousik were aided by the platform set by the earlier three batsmen – openers P Praveen Kumar (35 off 37 balls, 2 fours, 1 six), P Sugendhiran (20 off 12 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) and B Anirudh Sita Ram (33 off 25 balls, 3 fours, 1 six). Wicketkeeper-batsman Praveen held the innings together by notching 35 runs off 29 balls for the first wicket with Sugendhiran and then adding 54 off 44 balls for the second wicket.

Such was Chaturved and Kousik’s dominance in the slog overs that Madurai added 88 runs in the last six overs.

BRIEF SCORES: Siechem Madurai Panthers 184/4 in 20 overs (NS Chaturved 41*, J Kousik 40, A Karuppusamy 2/14) beat iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans 103 in 17.4 overs (R Rajkumar 42, R Silambarasan 2/8, V Gowtham 2/14, Aushik Srinivas 2/25)