3 all-rounders from Maharaja T20 Trophy 2023 who can bag an IPL 2024 contract ft. Manvanth Kumar
The Maharaja T20 Trophy 2023 was winded up on Tuesday, August 29, after the Manish Pandey-led Hubli Tigers beat Mysuru Warriors by eight runs in the final at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The six-team tournament produced some awe-inspiring moments in the last 17 days as Karnataka’s top-tier competition set the stage for boys from the state’s remote areas to demonstrate their innate abilities.
A host of uncapped Karnataka players rose to the occasion and left a preliminary impression with their game. In this piece, we shall understand the players who are likely to shine at the highest levels of cricket.
Three all-rounders from the second season of the Maharaja Trophy have the caliber to crack the trials of the IPL franchises and it shouldn’t be a matter of surprise if one of these youngsters fast-tracks at IPL 2024.
3 all-rounders from Maharaja Trophy who can play in IPL 2024
#3 Manvanth Kumar L
The Mysuru-born fast bowler shattered numerous hearts of the supporters of his home-based franchise in the Maharaja Trophy final. The 19-year-old Manvanth defended 12 runs in the final over against Mysuru Warriors as Hubli Tigers lifted the trophy in the second season. He dismissed Manoj Bhandage, Jagadeesha Suchit, and Shivkumar Rakshit to finish with figures of 3 for 32.
The Hubli pacer ended up as the tournament’s joint-highest wicket-taker, picking up 22 scalps in 12 innings at an economy rate of 7.82. He was the only other bowler after Paras Gurbaux Arya to take a five-wicket haul this season. Manvanth claimed 5 for 33 against Mangalore Dragons in Hubli’s final league stage fixture.
The uncapped Karnataka bowler’s pace dismantled the likes of BR Sharath and Krishnamurthy Siddharth as Mangalore was restricted to a below-par score of 167/9 despite Sharath’s fireworks in the powerplay.
Manvanth also scored 77 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 130.50, with a top score of 28 against Bengaluru Blasters. He clubbed CA Karthik for back-to-back sixes during the death overs of the final, with Hubli cruising to 203/8.
#2 CA Karthik
Codanda Ajit Karthik made his presence felt in Mysuru Warriors’ batting order both as a frivolous opener and a sturdy middle-order batter. Karthik accumulated 211 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 149.64. He registered his season's highest score of 62 runs off 43 balls, smashing seven fours and two sixes, against Bengaluru Blasters in a 33-run win.
With 11 wickets in eight innings at an economy rate of 9.76, Karthik was the third-highest wicket-getter for Mysuru behind Monish Reddy (12) and Jagadeesha Suchith (16). The right-arm medium pacer managed to snap four wickets despite getting hit for 50 runs against a rampant Hubli batting unit in the 15th match of the Maharaja T20 Trophy 2023. His victims were centurion Luvnith Sisodia, Mohammed Taha, Manish Pandey, and Bangalore Mohith.
Mysuru went on to win the match by six wickets after chasing 186 with six balls remaining. Karthik smashed 29 in 18 balls (two fours and two sixes) before falling at the end of the powerplay. The Sikkim all-rounder is versatile in terms of his batting position.
#1 Macneil Noronha
Macneil Noronha’s proficiency with the bat was one of the key factors for Gulbarga Mystics to secure a semi-final spot. Noronha and Chethan LR were the impetus in Gulbarga’s batting order, piling a chunk of runs for the team.
Noronha stepped up against the big teams in the tournament, with both his 50-plus scores coming against the finalists — Mysuru Warriors and Hubli Tigers. The top-order batter’s unbeaten 65 in the 21st match against Hubli helped Gulbarga secure a comfortable seven-wicket win. He was involved in a prudent 110-run stand with R Smaran.
Despite chasing a herculean total of 249 in the semifinal against Mysuru, Noronha led Gulbarga’s fightback. He hammered four boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 179.41 in a 34-ball 61 counter-attacking knock. His cracking shots helped Gulbarga post 212 in the end as they lost by 36 runs. He also picked up five wickets in 10 innings at an economy rate of 8.35.