JOIN USBijapur Bulls ensured a date with Belagavi Panthers in the final of the Karnataka Premier League with a four-wicket win over a spirited Namma Shivamogga here at the KSCA Rajnagar stadium on Friday.
Shivamogga, after being put in, posted 157/5 and went about defending the total with gusto. However, Abhimanyu Mithun’s late brilliant unbeaten 12-ball 32 – after he was dropped on nought by Liyan Khan– provided the surge Bijapur needed to cross the line.
Having done decently with the bat, Shivamogga went after Bijapur with the ball, picking wickets at regular intervals. They had openers Bharath Chipli (6), the Bijapur captain, and Mohammed Taha (10) dismissed within the first five overs. Dikshanshu Negi and MG Naveen attempted to rebuild the innings.
They had added crucial 34 runs for the third wicket when Naveen (19), starved of a boundary, charged down to Annirudha Joshi and was beaten. Bijapur were 58/3, and were dealt a further blow when Negi retired hurt soon after.
In came Sharath, looking to bat Bijapur out of the flux. He lifted sixes off Joshi, Sarafaz Ashraf, the chinaman bowler, and Akhil Balachandra, the captain, in consecutive overs but it was always an adventurous knock and he soon miscued and holed out off Akhil in the 14th. AM Kiran then pummelled Shoaib Manager for three consecutive fours in the 16th over, before being trapped in front. At that point, it seemed as though it was Shivamogga’s day.
However, Bijapur’s luck changed when Mithun was dropped by Liyan in the 17th over. As if to rub salt into Shivamogga’s wounds, he then lifted Ashraf for a massive six. Nidish M, having scored a 20-ball 25, holed out in the 18th over, but with Negi returning and finding the fence, Bijapur needed a tricky but gettable 27 off the final two overs.
In the penultimate over, Aditya Somanna sent down two wides. Mithun then hammered him for a huge six over long on and there was an overthrow that ended up at the fence. The first three balls yielded 15 runs. By the end of the over, Bijapur needed just nine off the final over. They got that easily, Mithun hitting consecutive fours off Pradeep T.
Earlier, following a collapse, Liyan (45) and Abdul Majid revived the Shivamogga innings, putting on a 37-run stand. After the partnership was broken, Shoaib Manager’s breezy 36 (12b, 3x4, 3x6) took Shivamogga to a fighting total.
Free entry
For the title clash on Saturday, entry for spectators will be free at gate No 4. Entry is also free at gate No 4 for the women’s exhibition match, which begins before the final (3:00 pm).
Brief scores: Namma Shivamogga 157/5 in 20 overs (Liyan Khan 45, Shoaib Manager 36 n.o.,; MG Naveen 2-27) lt to Bijapur Bulls: 159/6 in 19.4 overs (M Nidesh 25, Abhimanyu Mithun 32 n.o.; B Akhil 2-20).