Jagadeesan fashions Dindigul Dragons’ win

In a rain-interrupted match, the Dragons maintained a healthy run rate right from the beginning. The Dragons posted 142 for nine in 18 overs and then restricted Madurai Super Giants, chasing a revised target of 146, to 131 for six. 

Jagadeesan was off to a flying start hitting three fours in M Raja’s first over and since then the opener did not look back. He lost his partner Ganga Sridhar Raju (12) at 31 in the fourth over, his captain Subramania Siva (19 off 11 balls) and Wilkins Vector cheaply but he kept his cool and completed his 50 with seven fours and a six. 

Sunny Singh eased the pressure on him as the duo added 43 runs in 4.3 overs. After rain intervened, Jagadeesan hit two more sixes and kept one end tight even though Sunny, M Ashwin and Vivek left quickly stopping the Dragons in their charge. 

Jagadeesan too followed soon but after making a polished 71 off 50 balls (eight fours and three sixes) and Dragons settled for 142-9 in 18 overs. Left-arm spinner Muruganantham (4-22) was the most successful bowler for Madurai. 

Madurai too had a quick start as KB Arun Karthick hit two sixes but MS Sanjay, who bowled the fourth over, dismissed both the openers to check the Giants’ progress. The Dindigul bowlers kept the Madurai batsmen on a leash. 

Madurai lost two more wickets as Sureshkumar (21) and Shijit Chandran departed leaving them at 60 for four in the ninth over. 

Francis Rokins (20) and Thiagarajan (37 n.o.) offered resistance but that was all Madurai could do as they did not have have a batsman like Jagadeesan for them. 

Brief scores: Dindigul Dragons 142-9 in 18 overs (Jagadeesan 71, SV Muruganantham 4-22); Madurai Super Giants 131-6 in 18 overs (Thiagarajan 37 not out, MS Sanjay 2-29, G Kedarnath 2-19)