TNPL 2023: Madurai Panthers beats Tiruppur Tamizhans in a last-ball thriller

Leading the charge: Lokeshwar’s 44 at the top of the order gave Panthers a solid foundation and set up the team’s win. 
| Photo Credit: E. LAKSHMI NARAYANAN

Siechem Madurai Panthers, needing to win to qualify as the fourth team for the Playoffs, pipped iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans by four runs in the TNPL at the India Cement Company ground here on Tuesday.

Panthers will take on Nellai Royal Kings in the Eliminator at Salem on July 8.

With 17 needed for Tiruppur off the last over from left-arm medium-pacer Gurjapneet Singh, P. Bhuvaneswaran hit a straight six off a short ball, a four off a slower ball and then took a single.

But, left-hander B. Anirudh holed out to long-off of the next and Gohulmoorthi could only manage a single from the fifth delivery. The final ball was a brilliant yorker from Gurjapneet and Bhuvaneswaran could not score any run.

Earlier, put in, Madurai opener S. Lokeshwar scored 44 (37b, 3×4, 2×6) and added 68 for the first wicket with skipper C. Hari Nishaanth (34, 27b, 3×4, 2×6). He was then involved in a 36- run stand for the second-wicket stand with southpaw V. Aaditya (37, 28b, 5×4) to help Panthers reach 160 for five in its 20 overs.

The diminutive Lokeshwar hit two sixes — an imperious pull to deep midwicket off a Trilok Nag short ball in the third over and a skip down the track for a straight hit off left-arm spinner S. Ajith Ram in the sixth over.

Tushar Raheja waged a lone battler for the Tiruppur side with a half-century (51, 41b, 6×4, 1×6).

The scores: Siechem Madurai Panthers 160/5 in 20 overs (S. Lokeshwar 44, Hari Nishaanth 34, V. Aaditya 37, Trilok Nag 2/36) bt iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans 156/6 in 20 overs (Tushar Raheja 51, Vijay Shankar 28, Gurjapneet Singh 2/40, Ajay Krishna 2/31).