Cricket

Dindigul Dragons emerged victorious in the Qualifier 2 of the Tamil Nadu Premier League, defeating iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans by a commanding nine wickets at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. The triumph propelled the Dragons into the final, where they will face the winner of Qualifier 1.Left-arm spinner P. Vignesh played a pivotal role in the Dragons' victory, claiming impressive figures of 4-0-8-3. His accurate bowling restricted the Tamizhans to a modest total of 108 runs in 19.4 overs. Varun Chakravarthy also contributed with two wickets, conceding only 17 runs in his four overs.Skipper R. Ashwin's blistering knock of 69 not out off just 30 deliveries proved to be the catalyst for the Dragons' chase. Ashwin, known for his aggressive batting style, smashed 11 boundaries and three sixes, dismantling the Tiruppur bowlers with ease. Vimal Khumar provided valuable support with a 28-run contribution.The Dragons reached the target in a mere 10.5 overs, with Ashwin and Khumar putting on an unbeaten 112-run partnership for the first wicket. Ashwin's half-century came off just 23 deliveries, highlighting his exceptional batting prowess.Earlier, Ashwin's decision to bowl first after winning the toss proved to be a wise move. He dismissed in-form opener Tushar Raheja cheaply, setting the tone for the Tamizhans' batting struggles. The Tiruppur batters were unable to build substantial partnerships, with only S. Ganesh and Maan K. Bafna managing a 42-run stand for the sixth wicket.The Dragons' fielding was equally impressive, with Ashwin taking a stunning catch at mid-on to dismiss Amit Sathvik. The team's spirited effort and disciplined bowling ultimately led to the Tamizhans' downfall.

In the ongoing Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL-8), IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans secured their first victory by defeating Siechem Madurai Panthers by four wickets at the Sri Ramakrishna College ground on Saturday.Chasing a modest target of 157, Tiruppur's openers fell cheaply, but B. Anirudh Sitaram (52) and Amit Sathvik (23) steadied the innings with a 51-run partnership. Anirudh, who came in as the Impact Player, played aggressively, hitting boundaries and a six to put pressure on the opposition.In the middle overs, leg-spinner M. Ashwin (4/21) kept the Panthers in the hunt with regular breakthroughs. However, S. Mohamed Ali (33*) showed composure and guided his side home with an unbeaten 33 off 27 balls.Earlier, U. Sasidev's cameo (41) helped the Panthers post a fighting total of 156/9. Sasidev used the sweep shot effectively against the spinners and played innovative shots against the pacers to give the innings a late flourish.In the second match of the day, Lyca Kovai Kings registered a commanding nine-wicket victory over Nellai Royal Kings. Local lads B. Sachin (76*) and J. Suresh Kumar (63*) shared an unbeaten 144-run partnership for the second wicket to chase down the target of 168 with ease.Nellai Royal Kings, put in to bat, made 167/7 thanks to knocks from K.B. Arun Karthick (47) and R. Sonu Yadav (43*). However, they lost wickets in a cluster in the middle overs, slumping from 102/2 to 119/6, and ended up with a below-par score.