MPL 2023: Manoj, Bawane shine bright for Kolhapur Tuskers

Thanks to Manoj Yadav’s sensational spell of 2-0-6-5, Kolhapur Tuskers restricted Eagle Nashik Titans to 88 for nine. Bawane’s unbeaten 62 off 27 then ensured Tuskers qualified in second place.

Manoj Yadav of Kolhapur Tuskers.

Riding on Manoj Yadav’s last-over hat-trick - and the first five-wicket haul in Maharashtra Premier League 2023 - and Ankeet Bawane’s blitzkrieg, Kolhapur Tuskers thumped Eagle Nashik Titans by nine wickets in a truncated 10-over-a-side game.

Despite both teams having qualified for the Playoffs, there was plenty to play for in the last league game at the Maharashtra Cricket Association International Stadium on the outskirts of Pune on Saturday night. The winner was to take on Ratnagiri Jets in Qualifier 1 while the loser was to face Puneri Bappa in the Eliminator.

Thanks to Manoj’s sensational spell of 2-0-6-5, Kolhapur Tuskers restricted Titans to 88 for nine. Bawane’s unbeaten 62 off 27 - which included six fours in an over off leggie Prashant Solanki - then ensured Tuskers qualified in second place and gave itself an additional opportunity to make it to the final.

Manoj, a right-arm pacer who trains at the Varroc Vengsarkar Cricket Academy, took four wickets, including a hat-trick off his second, third and fourth balls, in the last over. The over, which also saw Titans retiring out Shubham Nagawade at the start of the over, five wickets falling for no run as the Titans lost the momentum.

Bawane then continued his sublime touch with the willow, striking his fourth fifty in five innings to see his team through.

BRIEF SCORES

Eagle Nashik Titans 88/9 in 10 overs (Siddhesh Veer 34, Mandar Bhandari 27, Manoj Yadav 5/6) lost to Kolhapur Tuskers 92/1 in 9 overs (Ankit Bawne 62 n.o.) by 9 wickets.

FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS

Ratnagiri Jets (Points 8, NRR 0.590), Kolhapur Tuskers (8, 0.568), Eagle Nashik Titans (6), Puneri Bappa (4), Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings (2, -0.997), Solapur Royals (2, -1.353).

PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Qualifier 1: Ratnagiri Jets vs Kolhapur Tuskers (June 26), Eliminator: Eagle Nashik Titans vs Puneri Bappa (June 27); Qualifier 2: Loser of Qualifier 2 vs Winner of Eliminator (June 28); Final: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2 (June 29).