Nellai makes it three wins in a row

CHENNAI: Sanjay Yadav and Baba Aparajith shared a stunning 99-run partnership off just 39 deliveries for the unconquered third wicket as Nellai Royal Kings defeated Dindigul Dragons by eight wickets in a rain-curtailed Tamil Nadu Premier League 2022 match at the NPR College Ground in Dindigul on Thursday.

Electing to bowl in the fixture that was reduced to 12 overs per team due to showers in the evening, Nellai let ‘home team’ Dindigul post a huge total of 130 for five. Despite stuttering at 34 for two in the fifth over in the chase, Royal Kings handsomely achieved its target with an over to spare. With the positive result, the Baba Indrajith-led Nellai, which has three victories in as many matches, maintained its 100 per cent record in TNPL Season 6.

Meanwhile, Dindigul slumped to its second defeat in three matches. Chasing a challenging 131, NRK was struggling at 36 for two at the end of the fifth over. But, the left-right combination of Sanjay (55 not out off 19 balls, 2 fours, 6 sixes) and Aparajith (59 not out off 30 balls, 4 fours, 4 sixes) took the match away from DD with a masterful alliance, during which the two displayed aggression of the highest order.

Sanjay smacked left-arm orthodox bowler K Monish for four successive maximums in the ninth over, reducing the equation to a simple 21 runs needed off 18 balls. In the afternoon fixture, the 27-year-old Sanjay struck the joint-fastest half-century in TNPL history – off just 15 deliveries. While his partner hogged the limelight, Aparajith went about his business in fine fashion and piled his runs at a strike-rate of close to 200 (196.67).

Earlier, Dindigul came out all guns blazing with the bat as openers Vishal Vaidhya (45 off 21 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes) and C Hari Nishaanth (37 off 27 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) entertained the home fans with an 82-run stand for the opening wicket. However, Nellai pulled things back, scalping five for just 23 runs in a space of four overs, to restrict DD to 130 for five.

Pacer Sri Neranjan (3/32) shone brightest among the NRK bowlers, accounting for Vishal, Mani Bharathy (1) and R Vivek (12). Speaking after the conclusion of the contest, ‘Man of the match’ Sanjay said: “I believed that if I stayed till the end, I could take the team across the line. And, I did just that.”