Kovai prevails in last-ball thriller against Thiruvallur

Anirudh and Vijay added 114 runs on 10 overs for the second wicket before Lyca won the match by seven wickets off the last ball. This also happened to be the highest successful run chase in TNPL. Akshay Srinivasan played a 24-ball cameo of 38 and a free hit off the last ball helped Lyca’s cause.

Earlier, a brilliant 55 off 22 balls by Abhishek Tanwar and a belligerent 60 off 31 balls by captain Aparajith helped the Thiruvallur team post 196 for six after being sent into bat. Veerans looked set for a score of 145-150 at the halfway stage but exploded in the last five overs scoring 82 runs, the 18th and 19th overs going for 22 and 25 runs respectively.

Abhishek Tanwar was in the thick of action during this phase as he slammed five sixes and three fours in his 55 off 22 balls. He eclipsed KB Arun Karthik’s 21-ball 50 in this TNPL in Madurai Super Giant’s chase of 188 against Ruby Trichy Warriors. 

At 76 for two after 10 overs, the Thiruvallur team was trying to come to terms with the wicket which was on the slower side and curtailed stroke-making. Left-handed H Nishaanth gave the innings the much-needed momentum with 27 off 20 balls before captain Aparajith took on the spinners with a flurry of sixes. The main target was left-arm spinner Ajith Ram, easily the pick of the Lyca bowlers, who was hit for four sixes, three of them in his fourth and last over.

Brief scores: VB Thiruvallur Veerans 196/6 in 20 overs (B Aparajith 60, Abhishek Tanwar 55*) lost to Lyca Kovai Kings 197/3 in 20 overs (A Sita Ram 69* M Vijay 69).