JOIN USAfter a modest beginning in this year’s KPL, Hubli Tigers found their range on Saturday to halt the three-match winning streak of Mangalore United at the M Chinnaswamy stadium.
KL Rahul’s brisk fifty and S Arvind’s late blitz carried Tigers to a formidable 190 for six in 20 overs. Just when the United began to shift into a higher gear, rain interrupted the proceedings for half-an-hour. Shorn of the rhythm, United couldn’t achieve the revised target of 154 in 16 overs, falling short of it by three runs.
The start of the match offered no indication of a change in the trend with Tigers struggling to 18 for two in the fifth over. But Rahul (64, 47b, 5x4, 3x6) and Jonathan Rongsen (31 off 27 balls) added 84 runs off 58 balls for the third wicket to spur their run-rate.
The dismissal of Rongsen, a tame scoop to Ganesh Satish at long-on off Anirudha Joshi, snapped the alliance, and Rahul too departed soon as the Tigers slipped to 144 for six in the 18th over. They needed a few more runs to put United under pressure, and Arvind did just that with a 12-ball 34 (2x4, 3x6). The all-rounder tore into Ronit More to amass 33 runs in the final over, including three sixes and as many fours (including a wide that went for four).
United suffered an early blow in their chase, losing in-form Karun Nair, who snicked Kranti Kumar to stumper Nithin Bille. But skipper Rohit Sabarwal and Ganesh Satish put their hunt back on track through a 75-run alliance for the second wicket.
The pitch for this match was much quicker than the one used for previous day’s matches, adding value to their shots. Skies opened up when United were 75 for one in 9.2 overs, and the downpour ensured a reduction of four overs. United at that stage, needed 79 runs in 40 balls. Sabarwal (67, 45b, 8x4, 3x6) and Ganesh played some meaty shots as United looked set to overhaul the target. But Arvind returned to oust Ganesh and Joshi in the space of 14 balls to peg the defending champions back.
Medium pacer Kranti Kumar then beat the downcoming bat of Sabarwal with a delivery that nipped back just enough to hit the top of the off-stump, as United’s challenge slowly fizzled away. They needed 23 runs off the last over, and Pawan Deshpande and Udit Patel grabbed three sixes off B Akhil but that only reduced the margin.
Warriors win
Mysore Warriors defeated Belagavi Panthers by six runs via D/L method in the seocnd tie.
Warriors made 169 for five in 19 overs and then restricted Panthers to 126 for eight in 14 overs. The revised target was 133 in 14 overs.
DH News Service
Brief scores: Tigers: 190/6 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 64, R Jonathan 31, S Arvind 34 n.o.; Ronit More 2-44, Anirudha Joshi 2-21) bt United (revised target 154 in 16 overs): 150/5 in 16 overs (Rohit Sabarwal 67, Ganesh Satish 24; S Arvind 2-19, Kranti Kumar 2-28).
Mysore Warriors 169/5 in 19 overs (Shishir Bhavane 69, Manjesh Reddy 45) bt Belagavi Panthers 126/8 in 14 overs (Bharath Chipli 26, Sunil Raju 20; Vyshak Vijaykumar 4-20, J Suchith 2-25) via D/L method.