That's it for today, This is Tugral Azmi signing off with my co-commentator Akshay along with our scorer/analyst Chandan. We will be back with all the live action, until next time Take Care, Cheers!
Shahrukh Khan | Player of the Match, Lyca Kovai Kings Skipper:"I really thought
that it would be a high-scoring game before the toss but never thought that 207
would be chased down. We had ups and downs throughout the competition but credit
to the Nellai Royal Kings for their journey. Fortune favors the brave and I think luck favored us. Absolutely brilliant (on Manikandan). It was hard to get
him away and he is a superstar for the future. I think it is important to stay
till the end. I was thinking to score 20 runs in the last over but we required
17 or 18 runs and I knew that I would be dangerous once I stay till the end. I
just told the boys to start hitting the ball from ball one. The final is just
another game for us and we have nothing to lose and we will play fearless
cricket."
Shahrukh Khan is the Player of the Match for his match-winning knock.
Baba Indrajith | Nellai Royal Kings Skipper: "Very tough
to be honest because scoring 200+, we had a great chance to defend it but Shahrukh
came in and took the game away from us. I wanted my best bowlers to bowl
against Shahrukh to pick his wicket. Davidson gives me two overs in the death
and is good with his yorkers and slower balls. It’s a game of margins and that no
ball costed us the game. I’m happy with him and credit to him to pick up
wickets in crucial junctures for us. We have to accept it when we win six games
on the trot and also have to accept when we lose three on the trot. It is a
very good season for us. Nobody gave us the chance but happy with the way we fought
and qualified for the playoffs. Everyone chipped in but credit to Sanjay Yadav
and Aparajith for the way they contributed in every match."
Time for the presentations.
11.05 PM IST| So, we are done here with the Lyca Kovai Kings winning the game with clinical effort as they just had 209 to chase against the Nellai Royals Kings. With a two-wicket victory, Kovai has a clear path to the championship finale.
In reply to the target set by the visitors, the host started in an opposite manner scoring 55 runs and losing two wickets in the powerplay which laid a good foundation for them to go on and win this game. As soon as he arrived, Jayesh Kumar began to score runs, but he was unable to extend his innings and was dismissed for just 28 runs by Baba Aparajith. Sudharsan joined Ganga Sridhar in the middle, and both handled the innings but Eswaran uprooted his stumps before Ganga Shridar Raju was thinking of extending his innings longer. Baba covered Shijit Chandran cheaply and showed him the way to the pavilion.
At this time, Kovai Kings had gone completely on the back foot, then Shahrukh Khan and Sai Sudharsan handled the sinking innings of the team. Shahrukh Khan started hitting long sixes as soon as he came and made his intentions clear that he will not stop. On the other hand, Sai Sudarsan gave full support to the captain, he also responded to the good balls but did not hesitate to reach the oddballs across the boundary line. Together they shared a 23-ball 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The breakthrough his team was looking for was fired by Karthik in the form of Sudarsan(53 off 33). After that, Shahrukh handled the innings alone, he also got the support of his tail-enders in the middle like Tanwar played a crushing 23 runs in 9 balls. But till today the day was lucky for Kovai Kings, first, they won the toss, then Shahrukh got a life at a Crucial time and finally, the same Shahrukh scored the eighth half-century of his career and his team won the match by 2 wickets. Shahrukh Khan scored 54 runs in 24 balls in which he hit 4 fours and 5 long sixes.
However, from the bowling side, today was a good day for the Nellai Royal Kings, first, they put a big target of 208 on the board while batting. Then their bowlers uprooted the opponent’s wickets with their deadly bowling attack. Karthick was an effective and impactful bowler throughout the innings. He was the pick of the bowlers for Nellai Royals Kings he took 3 wickets and gave away 46 runs in his 4 overs. Baba Aparajith and Easwaran also took a couple of wickets. Sri Neranjan also managed to take a wicket.
OVER 20
Lyca Kovai Kings
209/8
Shahrukh Khan
58(24)
S Ajith Ram
1(1)
R Sri Neranjan
1-27(2.0)
19.6 Neranjan to S Ajith
1 Sanjay Yadav at mid on misfields and Ajith scampers across for a quick run and completes it to qualify for the final. What a game we just witnessed. Neranjan bowls it full on the stumps, Ajith hits it straight to mid on and Yadav misfields it and allows Ajith to complete the run. The pressure got to Yadav as he fails to collect it cleanly. With this, Lyca Kovai Kings qualify for their first-ever final in TNPL's history.
W BOWLED' EM!!! Is there another twist in the tale?The umpires are checking for a no-ball and all are waiting for it. The replays are in and Neranjan has just managed to get his foot behind the line. It's a fair delivery and Ravi has been knocked over. What an anti-climax we are witnessing here.Neranjan bowls it full on the stumps, Ravi fails to get his bat down in time and the ball sneaks under his bat to disturb the timber. 1 required from 1 now.
19.4 Neranjan to S Khan
1 A low full toss outside off, Shahrukh drills it towards deep covers and takes a single. Trusts his partner to take his side across the line. 1 required from 2 now.
19.3 Neranjan to S Khan
4 Length delivery on the stumps, Shahrukh lifts it straight back over the bowler's head and Aparajith from long on runs to his left and stops it inside the ropes. The replays are in and Aparajith's hand touched the boundary cushions while stopping it. Boundary signaled by the umpire.
Akshay: There is a conference going on between the Nellai Royal Kings' players. 6 required from 4 now.
Shahrukh Khan hits the 8th half-century in his TNPL career. Kovai Kings now just need 6 runs in four balls to win after reaching 200.
6 SIXXXX!!!! Shahrukh Khan is the man for the Lyca Kovai Kings. A slower delivery on the shorter side outside off, Shahrukh smashes it over covers and it sails over the ropes. It is a flat six that has come off the blade of the Lyca Kovai Kings' skipper. Also brings up his fifty in style. He gets to the milestone in just 22 balls.
Arijit: With Shahrukh Khan at the other end, one simply can't write off the Kovai Kings.