TNPL 2018: Dragons thrash Panthers to book a berth in the final

While the Dragons will travel to Chennai for the August 12 final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Madurai Panthers will meet the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 to be played at the NPR College ground on Friday.

Qualifier 1 began with the teams observing a minute’s silence in memory of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

Dindigul Dragons had the match in its grasp when it posted the highest total of the season (203 for six) and when Madurai lost its in-form batsman Arun Karthik in the second over, the match was almost sealed. Dindigul continued doing good work by picking wickets at regular intervals and not allowing the Madurai batsmen to settle or build a partnership.

Put into bat first, Dragons got off to a flying start with Hari Nishaanth 57 (31b, 4x4, 5x6) and skipper N Jagadeesan 43 (34b, 6x4, 1x6) blasting 90 in just 9.1 overs.

Abhishek Tanwar, who bowled the first over, went for 20 runs as the left-handed Nishanth hit the first ball for six and clubbed the bowler for another six and two fours.

Spinner Varun Chakaravarthy conceded only four runs in his first two overs and despite that, Dindugul maintained a healthy run rate.

After the powerplay overs, Dindigul was 67 for no loss.

Karthikeyan dismissed Hari Nishanth with an arm ball that moved away and wrapped the batsman on the pads. No 3 R Vivek then smashed 54 off 25 balls with two fours and six sixes. N Jagadeesan came in and continued his good form with the bat making 43 off 34 balls before getting bowled by J Kousik. His innings was studded with six fours and a six. Varun CV was the standout bowler for the Panthers with 0/15 in his four overs.

Madurai Panthers lost batting mainstay KB Arun Karthik for 11 (4b, 1x4, 1x6) and collapsed to 128 all out.

Karthik tried to smash a delivery across the line, got an outside edge and the catch went to Vivek. In the fourth over, Mohammed struck twice, removing captain D Rohit and

Thalaivan Sargunam off successive balls and then Trilog Nag took two wickets.

Shijit Chandran was dismissed first and he later had Karthikeyan got in the 10th over. Karthikeyan went for a pull shot and played it straight to Varun Totadri at mid-wicket to reduce Madurai to 73 for five.

In the eleventh over, Mohan Abhinav got Kousik out, brilliantly caught by R Vivek, who ran a good distance from one side to the other, put his hand out and the ball got stuck in a moment of magic.

That made Madurai 75 for six. Abhishek Tanwar made 28 off 28 balls but that only reduced the margin of defeat.

BRIEF SCORES: Dindigul Dragons 203 for 6 in 20 overs (H Nishaanth 57, R Vivek 54, N Jagadeesan 43, J Sinivas 3/42) beat Madurai Panthers 128 in 19.3 overs (Abhishek Tanwar 28, M Mohammed 3/16, Trilok Nag 2/17)