TNPL | Hari, Sunny and Mohammed steal the limelight as Spartans get previous Cholas

Hari scored a classy 83 off 58 balls.
| Photograph Credit score: M. Periyasamy

C. Hari Nishaanth’s trendy 83 (58b, 7×4, 3×6), and M. Mohammed’s sensible spell (4 for 20) had been the highlights of SKM Salem Spartans’ thrilling seven-run win over Trichy Grand Cholas within the TNPL on the Sri Ramakrishna Faculty floor right here on Tuesday.

Spartans, put in to bat, made 179 for eight on the again of a 93-run partnership between Hari Nishaanth and Sunny Sandhu (45, 27b, 1×4, 4×6) for the fourth wicket.

In reply, the Cholas’ chase went off the rails within the PowerPlay as soon as Sunny eliminated S. Sujay and Waseem Ahmed. The Trichy aspect managed solely 28 for 4 within the first six overs, and slumped into deeper hassle at 48 for six.

Nonetheless, J. Kousik (62, 39b, 5×4, 3×6) and R. Rajkumar (59, 26b, 5×4, 5×6) didn’t go down with no struggle and gave a mighty scare by smashing the Spartans’ bowlers all around the park throughout their 88-run alliance for the seventh wicket off simply 41 balls.

The skilled Mohammed finally struck twice within the seventeenth over, together with that of Rajkumar, to show the tide once more. Kousik, although saved the hopes alive until the top, however his determination to not farm the strike after hitting the primary ball of the twentieth over to the boundary proved expensive as his aspect fell brief by the barest of margins.

Earlier, Hari’s innings was all about timing and magnificence as he hit some pristine drives down the bottom and thru covers off the pacers within the PowerPlay to get his aspect off to a gradual begin.

After the tenth over, the opener and Sunny (45) stepped up a gear, taking over the spinners who struggled to grip the moist ball following night rains that prompted a 25-minute delay to the beginning of the sport.

Although Cholas pulled issues again within the final 5, giving simply 41 runs, the failure of the top-order proved expensive in the long run.

The scores: SKM Salem Spartans 179/8 in 20 overs (C. Hari Nishaanth 83, Sunny Sandhu 45, Athisayaraj 3/31) bt Trichy Grand Cholas 172/9 in 20 overs (J. Kousik 62, R. Rajkumar 59, Sunny Sandhu 2/18, Mohammed 4/20).

Toss: Grand Cholas.

Wednesday’s match:

Lyca Kovai Kings vs Siechem Madurai Panthers (7.15 p.m.).