TNPL | Rajkumar stars as Cholas open account

R. Rajkumar’s blistering unbeaten 58 (24b, 5x4, 5x6) set up Trichy Grand Cholas’ 14-run win over Lyca Kovai Kings in a TNPL clash at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground on Tuesday.

After a sudden downpour delayed the start by 30 minutes, Cholas openers H.I. Waseem Ahmed and S. Sujay began cautiously. Waseem got off the mark with a couple of streaky boundaries — one off left-arm spinner M. Siddharth and another off pacer R. Rohit.

However, the introduction of pacer N. Kabilan led to Waseem’s downfall. Leg-spinner S. Jhathavedh made J. Kousik’s stay a brief one, as the latter played on in the seventh over. Skipper M. Shahrukh Khan then tightened the screws further by delivering only the second maiden over of the season to Sanjay Yadav.

With pressure mounting, Sanjay launched Shahrukh into the long-on stands in his next over, while Sujay pierced the third-man fence off Kabilan. But Jhathavedh returned to dismiss Sujay, breaking the 40-run third-wicket stand, in the 13th over.

Jafar Jamal announced himself with a six off the first ball but fell to pacer P. Bhuvaneswaran soon as Cholas slipped to 92 for four.

Rajkumar then joined Sanjay and hammered a six and a four before getting a reprieve when Bhuvaneswaran dropped a sitter in the 16th over. He made Kovai Kings pay in the next one, tearing into Kabilan with two huge sixes and as many fours, plundering 21 off the over.

Rajkumar carried on the assault against Rohit, smashing two sixes to bring up his second fifty of the tournament off just 18 balls, even as Sanjay fell. Saravana Kumar chipped in with two fours before Rajkumar hit another boundary off the penultimate delivery of the innings.

In reply, Kovai Kings were never in the hunt and ended up with 154 for nine.

The scores: Trichy Grand Cholas 168/5 in 20 overs (Waseem Ahmed 32, R. Rajkumar 58 n.o., S. Jhathavedh 2/32) bt Lyca Kovai Kings 154/9 in 20 overs (B. Sachin 38, Andre Siddarth 39, Athisayaraj Davidson 3/26, R. Rajkumar 2/32). Toss: Kovai Kings.

Wednesday’s match: Siechem Madurai Panthers vs Nellai Royal Kings (7.15 p.m.).

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