Dindigul Dragons emerged victorious in the eliminator of the eighth season of Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), defeating Chepauk Super Gillies by four wickets at the NPR College cricket ground in Natham.
Openers Shivam Singh and R. Ashwin played pivotal roles in Dindigul’s triumph. Singh struck a blistering 64 off 49 deliveries, including six fours and two sixes, while Ashwin contributed a quickfire 57 off 35 balls, featuring four sixes and four fours.
The duo forged a crucial 112-run partnership for the second wicket, laying the foundation for Dindigul’s chase of Chepauk’s 158/6. Ashwin’s aggressive approach in the PowerPlay, particularly against the spinners, set the tone for the innings.
Chepauk’s innings was anchored by B. Aparajith, who scored 72 off 54 balls. He was dropped early on by Varun Chakaravarthy, but made the most of the reprieve, hitting eight fours and a six. Abhishek Tanwar’s three maximums in the end helped Chepauk reach a respectable total.
Dindigul’s bowlers, led by Sandeep Warrier and P. Vignesh, kept Chepauk in check, restricting them to a manageable score. Warrier picked up two wickets, while Vignesh and V.P. Diran claimed one each.
In the chase, Dindigul lost opener Vimal Khumar early, but Singh and Ashwin steadied the innings. After Ashwin’s dismissal, N. Jagadeesan (22) and M. Ashwin (18) contributed valuable runs.
Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Dindigul remained in control of the chase. They reached the target with 19.5 overs to spare, thanks to a cameo from M. Mohammed (12*).
