Cricket

Dindigul Dragons Triumph in TNPL Final, Led by Ashwin's HeroicsIn a thrilling climax to the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), Dindigul Dragons emerged victorious, claiming their maiden title with a six-wicket triumph over defending champions Lyca Kovai Kings. The final, held in Chennai on Sunday, witnessed a captivating display of skill and determination.Dindigul Dragons, chasing a modest target of 130 runs, relied on the steady hand of their captain, Ravichandran Ashwin. The all-rounder played a pivotal role, scoring a crucial 52 runs off 46 deliveries, including a four and three towering sixes. His partnership with Baba Indrajith, who contributed 32 runs off 35 balls, proved decisive in the team's victory.The Dragons' middle-order batsmen, guided by the calm and composed Ashwin, successfully chased down the target with 10 balls remaining. They scored 46 runs for the loss of two wickets during the powerplay, setting the tone for their eventual triumph.The Lyca bowlers, despite their best efforts, could only manage to pick up one wicket each during the innings. Gowtham Thamarai Kannan, Manimaran Siddharth, Valliappan Yudheeswaran, and Shahrukh each claimed a scalp, but it was not enough to prevent Dindigul's march to victory.Earlier, Dindigul's bowlers had kept the Lyca batters in check, taking wickets at regular intervals. Sandeep Warrier made the first breakthrough, dismissing Suresh Kumar in the third over. Varun Chakravarthy then struck twice in the sixth over, followed by P Vignesh dismissing Sai Sudharsan.Atheeq Ur Rahman and Ram Arvindh attempted to stage a comeback for the defending champions, forming a partnership of 36 runs for the fifth wicket. However, their efforts were thwarted when Subodh Bhati dismissed Rahman. Vignesh then added to Lyca's troubles by dismissing skipper Shahrukh Khan.Struggling at 105/6, Arvindh couldn't stay at the crease either, giving a catch to Sandeep Warrier. Cameos from the tail-enders pushed the score to 129/7, but it was not enough to challenge Dindigul's dominance.Ashwin finished with figures of 0/13 for Dindigul, while Vignesh (2/15) and Chakravarthy (2/26) were the standout performers.

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.

Trichy Grand Cholas emerged victorious in the third leg of the Tamil Nadu Premier League, defeating Nellai Royal Kings by four wickets at the India Cements ground in Trichy. Chasing a target of 178, the Cholas relied on crucial contributions from Jaffer Jamal (39 runs) and Shyam Sundar (31 runs) to secure the win.Nellai Royal Kings, led by skipper K.B. Arun Karthik, posted a competitive 177 for nine after being put in to bat. Karthik played a pivotal role, scoring a regal 84 runs off 51 deliveries, including 10 boundaries and two sixes. He formed crucial partnerships with Nidhish Rajagopal (38 runs) and Rithik Easwaran (48 runs) to propel the team's total.However, the Trichy Grand Cholas bowlers, led by P. Saravanakumar, kept the Royal Kings in check. Saravanakumar claimed an impressive four wickets for 34 runs, including the prized scalp of Karthik in the 19th over. Athisayaraj Davidson also chipped in with two wickets for 37 runs.In the chase, the Cholas got off to a shaky start, losing opener R.S. Mokit Hariharan in the second over and G. Ajitesh in the third. However, Jamal and Sundar steadied the innings with a 51-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Jamal's aggressive 27-ball knock included three sixes, while Sundar's 25-ball innings featured three boundaries.Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, the Cholas kept their composure and chased down the target with 19.3 overs to spare. R. Rajkumar contributed a valuable 31 runs, while Antony Dhas and Saravanakumar played cameos to guide the team to victory.The win propelled the Trichy Grand Cholas to second place in the points table, while the Nellai Royal Kings remained in the bottom half of the standings.

The Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) kicked off its eighth season with a thrilling encounter at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground. Nellai Royal Kings emerged victorious in a nail-biting finish, defeating SKM Salem Spartans by three wickets.Chasing a modest target of 142, Nellai Royal Kings displayed an aggressive approach. G. Ajitesh (45) played a crucial role, hitting six fours and a six. However, the Spartans' Yazh Arun Mozhi (3/17) dismissed Ajitesh and Nidhish Rajagopal, putting the Royal Kings under pressure.With wickets falling at one end, Impact Player L. Suryapprakash (43*) stepped up to the plate. His sensible batting guided the Nellai side to victory with seven balls to spare.Earlier, the Spartans struggled against the impressive bowling of Sonu Yadav (5/30). Yadav's five-wicket haul restricted the Spartans to a mere 141 runs. B. Emmanuel Cherian and R. Silambarasan also contributed with two wickets each.

SKM Salem Spartans Triumph in Commanding Win over Dindigul DragonsThe Salem Cricket Foundation Ground witnessed a thrilling encounter as SKM Salem Spartans emerged victorious over Dindigul Dragons in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. The Spartans' seven-wicket win was a testament to their dominance throughout the match.The Dragons, opting to bat first, faced a disciplined bowling attack from the Spartans. Shivam Singh and R. Ashwin were dismissed early, putting pressure on the Dragons' batting lineup. However, B. Indrajith (51) and R. Vimal Khumar (47) steadied the ship with a 64-run partnership.A brief rain delay interrupted the Dragons' momentum, and they lost wickets at regular intervals thereafter. Vimal ran himself out, while Harish Kumar sent back Indrajith to reel things back for the Spartans. S. Dinesh Raj's cameo (20) took the Dragons' total to 149, but it was not enough to challenge the Spartans' batting prowess.The Spartans' chase was a clinical display of power hitting. R. Kavin (46) started the fireworks with a flurry of boundaries, while R. Vivek (51*) unleashed a barrage of lofted shots to make short work of the target. Vivek's winning shot, a scoop over the wicketkeeper, epitomized the Spartans' aggressive approach.The Spartans' victory was a collective effort, with Sunny Sandhu (2/23) and S. Harish Kumar (2/28) leading the bowling attack. The win solidifies their position in the tournament standings and sets them up for a strong run in the remaining matches.

Lyca Kovai Kings emerged victorious in the inaugural match of the eighth season of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), defeating Chepauk Super Gillies by 13 runs at the Salem Cricket Foundation (SCF) ground.B. Sachin, the Kovai Kings' top-scorer, played a crucial role in their victory, amassing 63 runs off 53 deliveries, including eight boundaries. His innings helped the Kings post a competitive total of 141 for seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs.Chasing a target of 142, the Super Gillies made a promising start, with skipper B. Aparajith and N. Jagadeesan putting on a 56-run partnership for the second wicket. However, the introduction of medium-pacer M. Mohammed proved to be a turning point. Mohammed dismissed Jagadeesan and Aparajith in quick succession, leaving the Super Gillies reeling at 72 for three.Despite a valiant effort from Pradosh Ranjan Paul, who scored 40 runs off 32 deliveries, the Super Gillies were unable to maintain the required run rate. Mohammed's impressive bowling in the final over, where he successfully defended 18 runs, sealed the victory for the Kovai Kings.Earlier, after Aparajith opted to bowl first, medium-pacer Abhishek Tanwar made an immediate impact for the Super Gillies, dismissing J. Suresh Kumar and S. Sujay in his first two overs. Pradosh's throw from midwicket caught Shahrukh Khan short at the non-striker's end, leaving the Kovai Kings struggling at 34 for three after the PowerPlay.However, Sachin and U. Mukilesh (31 runs off 25 deliveries) steadied the Kovai Kings' innings with a 64-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Sachin's aggressive batting, including a six over deep midwicket, kept the scoreboard ticking.In the end, the Kovai Kings' total proved to be just enough to secure the victory, as the Super Gillies fell short by 13 runs.