Maharaja Trophy: Shrijith, Manohar Fire Hubli Tigers To Big Win Over Shivamogga Lions

Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20: Riding on the back of exceptional half-centuries by KL Shrijith (66 not out off 40) and Abhinav Manohar (63 not out off 35), the Hubli Tigers posted 195/3 to secure a 105-run victory over the Shivamogga Lions in their final league match of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 cricket tournament here on Monday.

Having already qualified for the playoffs, the win ensures the Tigers a top-two finish and a place in Tuesday’s Qualifier against either the Mangaluru Dragons or Gulbarga Mystics.

The Lions' chase stumbled early, falling to 35/4 by the end of the Power-play. Nithin removed Tushar Singh (2 off 6) in the third over before Hubli’s spinners ran riot on the Lions’ batting unit to remove Aneeshwar Gautam (14 off 7), Nihal Ullal (9 off 12), and Rohit Kumar (1 off 7).

Dhruv Prabhakar (29 off 25) had waged a lone battle to emerge as the top scorer until he was castled by Yashraj Punja in the 15th over. Prabhakar and Avinash D. (6 off 11) built the largest stand of the innings to make 22 runs in 24 balls. Punja stayed true to his knack of picking up wickets in bulk, scalping Anirudha Joshi (7 off 7) and Darshan MB (2 off 4) as well to return figures of 3/18.

K.C. Cariappa (2/9) and Shreesha Achar (2/20) also registered two-wicket hauls. Shreesha Achar, who had accounted for Rohit Kumar early in the innings, came back to dismiss the dangerous Hardik Raj in the ninth over. Meanwhile, KC Cariappa snapped up Nihall Ullal in the Power-play and followed it up with the wicket of Avinash D to bring the score to 77/7 in the 13th over.

With a dearth of partnerships and only three batters crossing double digits, the Lions were eventually bundled out for 90 in 15.5 overs.

Invited to bat first, Devdutt Padikkal (33 off 15) provided the early spark for the Tigers with five fours and a six before being bowled by Maribasava Gowda. Mohammed Taha (8 off 15) followed soon after, stumped off Dhruv Prabhakaran, but on a slow surface, the Tigers still reached 52/2 in the powerplay.

K.L. Shrijith and Karthikeya K.P. (12 off 16) came together for a 24-run stand in 28 balls until the partnership was broken in the 10th over. From that point, it was one-way traffic, with Shrijith and Abhinav Manohar stitching a colossal 124-run partnership off 61 deliveries to dominate the innings.

Shrijith broke the shackles in the 12th over, dancing down the track for two successive sixes off Hardik Raj. The southpaw eventually brought up a 33-ball half-century. Manohar, who started cautiously with 24 runs off his first 20 balls, went on a rampage in the death overs. He smashed two sixes and two fours off Avinash D. in the 18th over that saw 25 runs.

Manohar, who reached his fifty in 31 balls, finished with five fours and three sixes. Shrijith finished the innings with a six off the last delivery to bring his tally to two fours and six maximums.

Shrijith broke the shackles in the 12th over, dancing down the track for two successive sixes off Hardik Raj. The southpaw eventually brought up a 33-ball half-century. Manohar, who started cautiously with 24 runs off his first 20 balls, went on a rampage in the death overs. He smashed two sixes and two fours off Avinash D. in the 18th over that saw 25 runs.

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Hubli Tigers 195/3 in 20 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 33, KL Shrijith 66*, Abhinav Manohar 63*; Maribasava Gowda 2-31) beat Shivamogga Lions 90 all out in 15.5 overs (Dhruv Prabhakar 29; Yashraj Punja 3-18, Shreesha Achar 2-20, KC Cariappa 2-9). Yashraj Punja 3/18

Article Source: IANS