In a nail-biting encounter at Tirunelveli, the Trichy Grand Cholas clinched a thrilling 4-wicket victory over the Nellai Royal Kings in the 18th match of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) on July 20, 2024. The match was a roller-coaster ride, showcasing brilliant individual performances and intense team efforts.
Nellai Royal Kings, batting first, posted a competitive total of 177/9 in their allotted 20 overs. The innings was anchored by their skipper Arun Karthik, who played a magnificent knock of 84 off 51 balls, including 10 boundaries and 2 sixes. Despite early setbacks with Mokit Hariharan (1) and Guruswamy Ajitesh (5) departing cheaply, Karthik held the innings together.
Valuable contributions from Rithik Easwaran (29) and Sonu Yadav (17) boosted the total. However, Trichy’s Saravana Kumar wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming 4 wickets for 30 runs, and was instrumental in restricting Nellai to a sub-180 score.
In response, Trichy Grand Cholas faced an early hiccup with the fall of K Rajkumar (22) and Arjun Murthy (1). Waseem Ahmed’s quickfire 27 off 17 balls provided the initial momentum, but it was the middle-order resilience that kept Trichy in the hunt. S Shyam Sundar (31) and Jafar Jamal (39) added crucial runs. The match took a dramatic turn with the quick dismissals of key players, but R Rajkumar’s explosive unbeaten 31 off 13 balls, including 3 fours and 3 sixes, steered Trichy to victory with 3 balls to spare.
Trichy’s chase was marked by strategic aggression and timely boundaries. Despite Nellai’s varied bowling attack led by Emmanuel Cherian (1/25) and Mohan Prasath (1/19), Trichy managed to maintain a steady run rate. The game-changing moment came in the final overs, where R Rajkumar’s onslaught ensured Trichy crossed the finish line.
Saravana Kumar’s all-round performance earned him the Player of the Match award, acknowledging his pivotal role in both restricting Nellai and setting up the successful chase for Trichy in TNPL 2024 match.
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