TNPL 2018: Kovai Kings knocks out Karaikudi Kaalai in nail-biting thriller

Karaikudi never allowed Kovai Kings to get off the blocks. The in-form batsman Shahrukh Khan was sent back early and Mukund battled his way to a fifty - the only one to go past 15. The bowlers contributed towards the end to take the total close to 140.

Leg-spinner Kishan Kumar gave Karaikudi the big break when he dismissed the in-form batsman Shahrukh Khan for 14 in the fifth over. Shahrrukh Khan was outfoxed by the leg-spinner as he charged down the track and wicket-keeper Kavin effected the stumping.

Kishan Kumar was in his elements again as he accounted for Rohith soon. Abhinav Mukund and Antony Dhas took the score to 56 in the 10th over when the slump started.

However, the Kovai bowlers were not ready to throw in the towel. K Vignesh got the all-important wicket of Karaikudi captain Anirudha Srikkanth in the third over and Aditya fell to Ajith Ram. When Vignesh had R Srinivasan and R Kavin in the fifth over, Karaikudi was down in the dumps at 23 for four.

Karaikudi slipped further to 31 for five when leg-spinner Prasanth had Yo Mahesh in the seventh over.Kaalai could not recover from that. Maan Bafna played a lone hand, scoring 40 runs for Kaalai.

BRIEF SCORES: Kovai Kings 137/8 (Abhinav Mukund 51, R Rajkumar 4/30, Kishan Kumar 2/27) beat Karaikudi Kaalai 110 all out in 19.4 overs (Maan Bafna 40, T Natarajan 4/24, K Vignesh 3/19)