TNPL 2023: Dindigul prevails over Super Gillies in a humdinger
Super Gillies opted to field first and notably used eight bowlers against the strong batting line-up of Dindigul.
DINDIGUL: Dindigul Dragons defeated Chepauk Super Gillies by one run in the first match of the doubleheader on Wednesday at NPK College Ground, Dindigul.
Super Gillies opted to field first and notably used eight bowlers against the strong batting line-up of Dindigul.
The ‘home’ side began the innings well, with Rahul and Shivam Singh taking on the bowlers. Harish Kumar S, who began the bowling for the defending champion, started with a no-ball. His over went for 17 runs. Shivam Singh added a six and a four in the next over to take the team to 28-0. Rahul was the first wicket to fall; he got out for a 9-ball 20 to Rahil S Shah. Baba Indrajith did not trouble the scoreboard much. After five overs, the team raced to 46/2. However, it lost Shivam Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Boopathi Kumar within the next three overs and found itself at 66/5 at the end of the 10th over. Adithya Ganesh and Sarath Kumar steadied the innings for Dindigul.
Adithya Ganesh notched up 44 (30) before falling to Harish Kumar S. The 18th over of the match witnessed Rahil S Shah dismissing both C Sarath Kumar and M Mathivanan in the same over. He ended with 3/38. Dindigul ended its 20 overs with 170/9. Chasing 171 to win, Super Gillies lost S Santhosh Shiv in the first ball of the second over. He was bowled by S Arun. Pradosh Ranjan Paul, the impact player for Super Gillies, had an off day as he made just six runs.
Baba Aparajith took responsibility and dominated the bowlers, while Narayan Jagadeesan played an anchor role. The skipper made 37 off 36 before being trapped by Varun Chakaravarthy. Varun dismissed Sanjay Yadav for just three runs to push Super Gillies to 102/4.
At one point, Super Gillies needed 51 deliveries out of 25. Aparajith smashed a couple of sixes off Varun’s over to get the run rate down, but the spinner bounced back to dismiss Aparajith for 74 (40).
His knock got the team closer to victory. Also, with the wicket of Aparajith, Varun became the leading wicket-taker of the season and snatched the Purple Cap from Rahil S Shah as well. In the evening’s second match, Lyca Kovai Kings beat Trichy.
BRIEF SCORES: Dindigul Dragons 170/9 in 20 overs (A Ganesh 44, R Shah 3/38) bt Chepauk Super Gillies 169/9 in 20 overs (B Aparajith 74, V Chakravarthy 3/23); Trichy 117/6 in 20 overs (GS Raju 58, M Siddharth 3/13) lost to Lyca Kovai Kings 119/4 in 18.2 overs (S Sujay 72*)
