Opener Shivam Singh (64, 49b, 6x4, 2x6) and skipper R. Ashwin (57, 35b, 4x4, 4x6) set up Dindigul Dragons’ four-wicket win over Chepauk Super Gillies in the eliminator of the eighth season of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) at the NPR College cricket ground in Natham here on Wednesday.
They engaged in an 112-run second-wicket stand.
After opener Vimal Khumar (3) fell early, Ashwin hit four sixes and two fours in the PowerPlay for Dindigul to get to 54 for one. His long reach to the spinners came to the fore, as he got off the mark with a long-on six off left-arm spinner Rahil Shah and hit back-to-back sixes off left-arm spinner M. Silambarasan to extra cover and deep backward square leg.
He capped off the Powerplay with a classy clip off the pads for a four past midwicket off medium-pacer Prem Kumar.
READ MORE | TNPL: Sai Sudarshan smacks ton to guide Kovai Kings into the final
Shivam remarkably charged at Shah and timed an eye-catchy inside-out six. He simply held his ground and shape to slap a huge six to cow corner off slinger G. Periyaswamy.
Earlier, Baba Aparajith scored 72 (54b, 8x4, 1x6) as Chepauk posted 158 for six. He was dropped on four by Varun Chakaravarthy at short third man off medium-pacer V.P. Diran. It was an easy chance.
But there was a fine fielding effort, when Shivam caught the in-form Pradosh Ranjan Paul (19) short of his crease at the non-striker’s end with a flat and accurate throw from deep backward square leg.
Aparajith remarkably paddle-swept Ashwin for a four and charged at left-arm spinner P. Vignesh for a four down the ground. In the first delivery of the last over, he absolutely creamed a slot ball off Sandeep Warrier for a six to long on.
Abhishek Tanwar’s three sixes in the end were also key for Chepauk to get past 150.
Comments
SHARE