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So that will be all from our coverage of this contest but we've got two more games to go in the round-robin phase of TNPL 2023. A massive contest awaits tomorrow with both the Siechem Madurai Panthers and iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans needing a win. The Chepauk Super Gillies will also have a keen eye on this match as they will hope for a favor from the Tamizhans with a Madurai win sending them crashing out of the tournament. Do join us for our coverage of that clash right here on Sportskeeda while keeping yourselves updated with further cricketing news and action from around the world on this very platform. For the moment, this is the duo of Karthik Raj and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for joining us as we hope you enjoyed our coverage. See you around soon - good night and take care!
A comprehensive victory for the Dindigul Dragons and they will face the Lyca Kovai Kings in Qualifier 1 on Friday. Fittingly, they get two bites at the cherry having ended their round-robin campaigns as the two best sides in the competition and it surely promises to be a mouth-watering tussle. As for the Salem Spartans, they showed flashes of promise but they were always playing catch-up from their first game. They just never seemed to click as a cohesive unit and while there are positives for them to take out of this campaign, they certainly have to look back at a few aspects such as their batting order and their lack of big partnerships to name a couple. Not a happy season for them and they bow out without qualifying for the third successive season.
Baba Indrajith (Dindigul Dragons captain): This match was really important. Couldn't take it lightly saying we have qualified. If you end in the Top 2, there will be momentum and also some extra cushion. Starting of the tournament, everyone said the bowling attack is good. The youngsters in the batting line-up have stepped up and we have seen a different player step up in each game. In the Powerplay, we wanted to take some time. If they bowled bad balls, the boundaries could still come. If you look at my batting too, I went for lofted shots only in the last 2-3 overs. So, that is a great sign
Abhishek Tanwar (Salem Spartans captain): I thought we were definitely 20 runs short keeping the wind factor and the wicket in mind. I think 180 was par. 100 per cent - the wind was stronger than the last few days and the wicket was good so it played a big role. (Reflection on the season) I feel our batting order was unsettled and we couldn't win too many games. We got it right in the last few matches and will stick to the same next year. We have a lot of youngsters too so I'm sure they will do well next year. If you see the positives, Sunny Sandhu, Sachin Rathi and Selva are up there.
Without a shadow of doubt, Baba Indrajith is the Player of the Match for his stunning unbeaten knock of 83 off 50 deliveries!
R Vimal Khumar: We are confident. It was amazing. Having Inder anna at the other end is great. The experience he brings to the table is really valuable
Match Summary: Dindigul Dragons beat Salem Spartans by 7 wickets to secure a spot in Qualifier 1!
As long as Baba Indrajith was out there in the middle, the target never seemed in doubt for the Dindigul Dragons. In a must-win game in order to secure a spot in the top-two, the stand-in skipper has put his best foot forward and stepped up at the perfect time to power his team into Qualifier 1. Of course, this was on the back of a good bowling display that restricted the Salem Spartans to 160.
Mind you, it wasn't an easy start with the Spartans' opening bowlers keeping things tight and not allowing the Dragons to run away in the powerplay. The in-form Shivam Singh was prized out early and it put the onus on skipper Indrajith to drive the chase forward. He duly obliged with some quality strokes as he picked the gaps with surgical precision. It allowed Vimal Khumar more time as he struggled to get going and was tied up even as the duo put on a 50-run partnership.
Vimal picked up pace and flicked a switch although a mix-up with his skipper saw him sacrifice his wicket. Indrajith was regal and chanceless, however and even as the asking rate crept up, the odd boundary came at the right time to ensure that it never got out of bounds. Adithya Ganesh chipped in with a valuable cameo of his own to put the result of the chase beyond doubt before Indrajith took over and wrapped it up.
A beautiful loft over extra cover and a short-arm jab over mid-wicket towards the end of the chase really stood out in Indrajith's effortless innings. The way he ran between the wickets was also a sight for sore eyes and fittingly, he had the final say in the contest as he thumped one down the ground to pocket those two crucial points. Stick around for the presentation...
YES HE CAN! Captain marvel, Baba Indrajith! An innings of the highest caliber and he has wrapped up a resounding victory for his side. Dindigul Dragons secure a top-two berth while Salem Spartans are eliminated!
18.2 Sunny Sandhu to Baba Indrajith, FINISHES IT OFF IN STYLE DOES INDRAJITH! Yorker outside-off, Indrajith stays deep and powers it past the bowler for a boundary. This seals a dominant seven-wicket win for Dinidgul!
He is in a hurry now! Absolutely belted that one out of sight and the Dragons are just two runs away. Can Indrajith finish it off in style?
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Indian Cement Company Ground, Tirunelveli
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