The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
So, that is it as myself, Karthik Raj and my co-commentator, Soumarya Datta wrap up the coverage of this TNPL season. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda and switch over to the India vs WI Test or the Women's Ashes ODI. Until next time, it is a warm good-bye!
Lyca Kovai Kings have started celebrating with the trophy now. A great moment for the players!
Shahrukh Khan (Lyca Kovai Kings skipper): Mostly, it was how we can make individuals better. Our target isn't one year, it is three years. We will achieve our target in 2025. A lot of people said why not X over Y, why so many youngsters but we have done well. It feels great but our target is 2025. Really important as a player to have role. If I wasn't a captain, I would expect the captain to back me. Once you have picked a player, it doesn't make sense to drop someone after 2 or 3 matches. Nothing, have always been bowling in the age-group categories. Had a slight niggle for a while but it has recovered completely and I am back to bowling. At the auctions, I remember the whole responsibility was given to me. It is very rare to see the responsibility being handed to the captain.
Arun Karthik (Nellai Royal Kings skipper): Could have done everything better. Back-to-back games, the boys couldn't recover quickly I guess. Don't want to give excuses but we could have performed better. Hats off to Lyca Kovai Kings, they batted so well. Atheeq, from our place. He played a superb good. To pick out one moment, it would be Rithik Easwaran's superb hitting in the Qualifier 2. We don't have much experience but kept on saying you are the future superstars. Want to dedicate this trophy to VB Chandrasekhar sir!
G Ajitesh, Player of the Tournament: Was a great tournament for me but pretty disappointed to not win today. Fielding was pretty bad today. We couldn't build partnerships too. It was simple. Wanted to back my strengths and work on the weaknesses. Worked on range-hitting and some things came naturally. Team atmosphere was great, we gelled as a team. KB (Arun Karthik) Anna was so good, words were not enough. Belief is there, will come back stronger
Jhatavedh Subramanyam, Player of the Match: Super chuffed to win. We have a long way to go, still two years in the cycle. It is pitch-dependent. Felt the pitch offered a bit of turn. So, decided to bowl a bit slower. Yes, absolutely. My role in the team was to take wickets. I have to thank the management for backing me. I was there in Madurai for two years where I didn't get a game. Want to take it one day at a time. Don't want to look too far ahead. We can't control the results all the time. What we can control is the effort and preparations!
Jhatavedh Subramanyam is the performer of the match!
Time for the Post-match Presentation!
Nellai Royal Kings 101 all out in 15 overs Arun Karthik 27(14) | Jhatavedh Subramanyam 4/21 Laxmesha Suryaprakash 22(22) | Shahrukh Khan 3/16
15 OVERS!! That's all it took the Lyca Kovai Kings to clean up the Nellai Royal Kings and clinch the TNPL 2023. It has been unbelievable effort from them in the final and they've thoroughly outplayed their opposition here. The Nellai Kings had an uphill task to chase down 205 in 20 overs but they never really got going in their innings.
They lost a couple of wickets early on which was followed by a brief onslaught by Arun Karthik. However, once Shahrukh Khan got the breakthrough, the rest of the batting order could hardly put up any resistance. Suryaprakash toiled through the middle overs and played a lone handle of 22. They were in danger of being bowled out for less than 100 but a few lusty blows from Poiyamozhi in the end, saved the blushes for them.
Manimaran Siddharth started off superbly with the ball in hand and it was followed by the other spinners who cleaned up the Royal Kings. Jhatavedh Subramanyam was the pick of the bowlers as he picked up 4 wickets in an unbelievable spell. He bowled with guile and outfoxed the batters who failed to pick him up. He could have picked up a fifer but missed it by a whisker in the end. Skipper Shahrukh Khan was clinical too, as he brought himself on at a crucial stage and got the wicket of Arun Karthik which proved to be the ultimate game changer in the end.
Overall an incredible win for the LYCA KOVAI KINGS! They've won their second successive TNPL in a row and they're now among the most successful teams of the competition. They've dominated their opponents throughout the competition and today has been no different. The Nellai Royal Kings have had a great tournament too but they fizzled out today in front of a superior team. Commiserations to them, but they can take a lot from this tournament and hold their heads high
The Lyca Kovai Kings win the 2023 TNPL by 104 runs!