Debutant Mukumthan takes Chepauk into the semi-finals

Chepauk Super Gilles became the 2nd team after Dindigul Dragons to make it to the semis of the TNPL after a convincing 41-run win against VB Thiruvallur Veerans at Chepauk. With this win, Chepauk ensured a top 2 finish while Veerans await the results of remaining teams to see if their luck rides them into the semis.

After electing bat, Super Gillies got off to a quick start with Gopinath and Thalaivan striking boundaries early on. Thalaivan fell for 13 after a 36-run opening stand from 27 balls but Saravanan came out all the guns blazing. He got a great support from Gopinath and the both batted long.

Saravanan struck 4 sixes in his 54 with 2 fours. He brought up his fifty in 34 balls but a couple of balls later fell to Rahil Shah trying to loft one over covers. Captain Rajagopal Sathish registered his 3rd duck in TNPL, most by any player in this TNPL so far, as he tried to push the ball but was caught well by Aparajith at short cover. Gopinath anchored the innings well and brought up his fifty in 44 balls. He remained unbeaten with 62 off 55 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes as Chepauk finished at 154/3.

The Thiruvallur’s innings was all about the Chepak’s Ashwath Mukumthan as he gave three crucial strikes in the power play itself. The debutant pacer struck on the very first ball he bowled in TNPL and got Kavin’s wicket. In his 2nd over, he struck again on the first ball to send back the other opener Hari Nishanth. The biggest wicket was Baba Aparajith who ended up giving a catch to Thalaivan in covers on the second ball he faced without scoring.

Wickets continued to tumble for the Thiruvallur Veerans, who were 7 down for 63 in 15th over. Malolan Rangarajan scored a run-a-ball 23 putting a 32-run stand with Ramalingam Rohit for the 8th wicket but Mukumthan came back to send him and Samuel in his 4th over to pick up a 5-wicket haul. Mukumthan finished with 5/17 in his 4 overs, best bowling figures in this TNPL so far.

Rohit struck a couple of boundaries towards the end to reduce the margin of defeat. He remained unbeaten with 33 of 17 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to take his side to 113/9. Mukumthan, who caught everyone’s eyes not only with his wickets but also with his celebrations also bagged man of the match on debut.

Brief Scores:

Chepauk Super Gilles – 154/3 in 20 overs (H Gopinath 62*, SV Saravanan 54; Lakshmi Narayanan 2/31)

VB Thiruvallur Veerans – 113/9 in 20 overs (Ramalingam Rohit 33*, M Rangarajan 23; A Mukumthan 5/17, R Alexander 2/33)