TNPL 2021: Trichy Warriors vs Madurai Panthers: Trichy edge Madurai, all match awards

Although both Adnan and Adithya were dismissed, Trichy’s lower order ensured they ended on the winning side, with one over to spare.

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P Saravana Kumar spared the blushes for Trichy with a breezy 15 not out off 9 balls to see the side through. It was the second win for Trichy from three matches and it will be particularly heartening for the side as it came on the back of a eight-wicket loss to Lyca Kovai Kings in their previous match.

Trichy’s chase began on a disastrous note when they lost opener Amith Sathvik and No.3 Nidhish Rajagopal off the first three balls without a run on the board, with pacer Rohit Ramalingam doing the damage. Further trouble was in store when the other opener Sumant Jain (4) was trapped leg before wicket by pacer Kiran Akash.

At 10-3 in the third over, Trichy were well served by Adnan’s dash and Adithya’s calm approach and together they put the rival attack to sword.

It was disappointing to see Madurai’s Jagatheesan Kousik (2-17) finish on the losing side despite coming up with a brilliant all-round display. He first top scored for his side and then bowled his heart out to make life difficult for the rivals at the finish, even plucking a brilliant catch at long-on to send back the dangerous Anthony Dhas (2).

Earlier, Trichy bowlers spearheaded by young left-arm spinner M Mathivanan (2-18) did a commendable job of restricting Madurai to 137-6 in 20 overs.

Madurai openers KB Arun Karthick (17 off 16 balls) and K Rajkumar (18 off 22 balls) appeared to negate Trichy’s decision when they raised 35 runs in 4.4 overs.

But once Mathivanan took a brilliant catch diving forward to send back Karthick, Madurai were on the backfoot. The 21-year-old Mathivanan took centrestage again with a double strike in his second over by dismissing Rajkumar and Rohit Ramalingam (5).

When pacer Sunil Sam claimed Madurai captain NS Chaturved for a first ball duck in the next over, they were in dire straits. But B Anirudh Sitaram (36 not out off 35 balls, 3 fours) and Kousik (44 off 32 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) staged a rescue act by stringing a 79-run partnership off 62 balls.

The Trichy bowlers came to haunt Madurai at the finish with pacer P Saravana Kumar (2-31) dismissing Kousik in the 19thover and then M Poiymozhi (1-25) dishing out a superb final over by conceding just three runs and claiming a wicket of M Shajahan (0).

Brief scores: Madurai Panthers: 137-6 in 20 overs (Kousik J 44, Anirudh B 36 n.o., Rajkumar K 18, Arun Karthick 17; Mathivanan M 2-18, Saravana Kumar 2-31, Poiyamozhi 1-25, Sunil Sam 1-31) lost to Trichy Warriors: 138-7 in 19 overs (Adnan Khan 53, Adithya Ganesh 41, Saravana Kumar 15 n.o,, Poiyamozhi 10 n.o,; Kousik J 2-17, Rohit R 2-32, Kiran Akash L 2-19, Silambarasan R 1-22) by 3 wickets.

Match Awards:

Koo App Most Number of 6s: Muhammed Adnan Khan (RTW)

Shriram Most Number of 4s: Muhammed Adnan Khan (RTW), Adithya Ganesh (RTW)

Dream 11 Game Changer of the Match: Mathivanan M (RTW)

Upstox Most Valuable Player of the Match: J Kousik (SMP)

BKT Tires- Commander of the Match: Saravana Kumar (RTW)

Shriram Capital Player of the Match: Muhammed Adnan Khan (RTW)