Image Credit- TNPL
After a team-wide impressive bowling performance, R Ashwin’s 46-ball 52 at No. 3 enabled Dindigul Dragons win their first Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) championship. In the TNPL 2024, it was Ashwin’s third consecutive fifty.
Thanks to two-wicket finishes from Sandeep Warrier, Varun Chakravarthy, and P Vignesh, Lyca Kovai Kings were held to 129 for 7 in their third consecutive final, as the Dragons overcame it at Chepauk with six wickets and ten balls remaining. Ashwin added four economical overs for just 13 runs.
Following their introduction, Kings quickly accelerated to 48 for 1 in five overs. But in the last over of the powerplay, Varun struck twice in two balls to remove U Mukilesh and S Sujay (22 off 12). B Kings were reduced to 51 for 4 when Sai Sudharsan, who had amassed an undefeated 123 in the first qualifier, promptly chopped a short and wide one straight to backward point.
After that, Ram Arvindh and Atheeq Ur Rahman put together a 36-run partnership in 28 balls. However, Kings’ run-rate decreased after Suboth Bhati broke up that partnership. The captain of the Kings, M Shahrukh Khan, also had a bad day, which led to a terrible end to the innings.
The Dragons’ 130-run chase got off to a somewhat chaotic start as both openers were out of the game in 15 balls. However, B Indrajith (32 off 35) and Ashwin provided some serenity. During his visit, Ashwin scored three sixes and one four. Sarath Kumar’s 15-ball 27 with two fours and as many sixes helped them almost complete the chase, which they eventually accomplished quickly with a run-a-ball 65 for the third wicket.
While Ashwin was chosen Player of the Match for his innings, Shahrukh won the series thanks to his all-around performance, which included 13 wickets, second only to M Poiyamozhi’s 16, and 225 runs at a strike rate of 182.92, comfortably the best among the top run scorers in the TNPL 2024.