TNPL 2025: Tanwar emerges trump card for Chepauk Super Gillies against Lyca Kovai Kings
Tanwar also became the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 83 scalps (surpassing Sai Kishore) as Gillies put up a dominant bowling performance to shoot out last year’s runner-up Kovai Kings for 144 in 19.4 overs after putting it in to bat first.
Chepauk Super Gillies captain B Aparajith scored 48 not out
SALEM: Medium-pacer Abhishek Tanwar returned his tournament-best figures of four for 16 to set up Chepauk Super Gillies’ eight-wicket victory over Lyca Kovai Kings for its third win in as many outings in the ongoing 9th Tamil Nadu Premier League at the Salem Cricket Foundation ground here on Saturday.
Tanwar also became the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 83 scalps (surpassing Sai Kishore) as Gillies put up a dominant bowling performance to shoot out last year’s runner-up Kovai Kings for 144 in 19.4 overs after putting it in to bat first.
Opener K Aashiq hit three sixes and a four in his 35 to power Gillies’ reply before the third-wicket pair of B Aparajith (48 n.o., 26b, 4x4, 3x6), who sealed the win with a six, and Vijay Shankar (34 n.o., 19b, 2x4, 2x6) took the side home with a stand of 70 off 38 balls.
It was Kovai Kings’ third defeat in as many outings.
Opening the attack, Tanwar, who bowled 13 dot balls, foxed opener S Lokeshwar with a slower ball in the third over, returned in the 18th to dismiss IPL star Shahrukh Khan (20) and signed off with a double strike in the final over of the innings.
“The win feels great obviously, we have a good team and the side is gelling well,” Player of the Match Tanwar said. “It feels special to become the tournament’s highest wicket-taker,” he added.
Earlier, all-rounder Vijay Shankar took out Andre Siddarth (26, 24b, 2x6) and debutant S Guru Raghavendran (25, 22b, 3x4) as Kovai Kings could manage just 61 runs in the middle nine overs after opener Jitendra Kumar’s feisty 42 (20b, 5x4, 3x6) lifted the team to 54/3 in Powerplay.
BRIEF SCORES: Kovai Kings 144 all out in 19.4 overs (Jitendra Kumar 42, Andre Siddarth 26, Guru Raghavendran 25, Abhishek Tanwar 4/16, Vijay Shankar 2/20, J Prem Kumar 2/29) lost to Chepauk Super Gillies 146/2 in 15.1 overs (K Aashiq 35, B Aparajith 48 not out, Vijay Shankar 34 not out)
Dindigul thrashes Madurai by 9 wickets
Defending champion Dindigul Dragons shone with both ball and bat, as Shivam Singh’s 86 propelled the team to a nine-wicket victory over Siechem Madurai Panthers in the second TNPL game on Saturday.
Put in to bat, Madurai were given a 43-run start in 4.1 overs by left-hander B Anirudh Sitaram (31, 24b, 3x4, 2x6) and Ram Arvindh (18). However, Dindigul quickly took control once spinners Varun Chakravarthy and DT Chandrasekar dismissed the openers.
Openers Ravichandran Ashwin and last season’s top scorer gave Dindigul a solid start, which helped them cross the line and seal the win.
BRIEF SCORES: Madurai Panthers 150/8 in 50 overs (B Anirudh Sitaram 31, Atheeq Ur Rahman 50, DT Chandrasekar 2/27, G Periyasamy 2/40) lost to Dindigul Dragons (Shivam Singh 86, Ravichandran Ashwin 49)
