KPL 2018: High-scoring encounter sees Warriors see of Panthers in last-ball finish

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The Mysuru Warriors came out on top by one run in an enthralling high-scoring encounter against the Belagavi Panthers in the 15th match of the Karnataka Premier League held in Mysuru.

Chasing 202 for victory, the defending champions got off to a blistering start thanks to Dikshanshu Negi, who took on the bowlers and smashed them all around the park. He scored the fastest fifty of this year's IPL as well, in 21 deliveries.

Stallin Hoover, who opened the batting along with him, played second fiddle and kept rotating the strike. The duo put on a 74 run partnership for the first wicket in just 8 overs. However, the Warriors stormed back into the game with some quick wickets, dismissing Hoover, Negi, and the captain, Stuart Binny.

Nidhish Mohanram and Akshay Ballal got the Panthers back into the game, with the former scoring 37 in just 14 deliveries.

In the end, with 15 runs required off the final over, the Panthers were able to get only 14, thus losing the match by 1 run and much to the delight of the home crowd, the Warriors won their third match of the season.

Vyshak V bowled an incredible penultimate over, conceding just 5 runs. This was the turning point of the game.

Earlier in the first innings, the Mysuru Warriors' top-order performed exceptionally well to guide their side to the highest total this year.

Shoaib Manager's half-century paved the way for the home side crossing the 200 run barrier. Amit Verma played extremely well too, scoring 43 runs in just 22 deliveries. The openeres, Arjun Hoysala and Rajoo Bhatkal, gave the Warriors a great start, putting on 67 runs for the first wicket.

However, it was Manager and Verma who upped the run-rate and got their side to a huge total.

This was the highest aggregate in a single match in the KPL ever since its inception.l

The Warriors are now third on the table with 6 points.

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