The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
So that'll conclude our coverage of this contest but there's another game lined up today in the Maharaja Trophy. The Bengaluru Blasters face the Mangalore Dragons at this very venue in about an hour and a half from now so do join us for our coverage of that contest right here on Sportskeeda. For the moment, this is your host Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave and thanking you for being a part of this coverage. See you around soon - buh-bye and take care!
The smiles are back on Vijaykumar Vyshak's face and the Gulbarga Mystics will be looking to continue this good run of form into their next few games as well. As for the Shivamogga Lions, from being one of the red-hot teams to hitting a number of stumbling blocks, they do not want to falter away. They have to pick themselves up and quickly at that before those breathing down their neck start to catch up.
Vijaykumar Vyshak (Gulbarga Mystics captain): It was a complete team effort. Really happy. We deserve this because the boys are putting in a lot of effort. Credit to them because they're playing exceptional cricket. (On picking up early wickets) That's been the plan from the first game - Abhilash has been bowling really well. He's been hitting the right lengths. They were 60 after six overs but Hardik the youngster - he's 17 years old but the character he has shown is exceptional. The coaching staff has told him to just enjoy himself. When I played my first game I was 17 and I had the same intent. He's showing the same. (Did the break in between help?) We all gelled together as a team. We went out and had a couple of outings. The management arranged that and we had a couple of Karaoke nights so that helped us. We always talk about the intent - the way Chethan LR and Aadarsh Prajwal have been batting has been exceptional. Hopefully we can continue that.
Hardik Raj is the Player of the Match for his outstanding spell of 3/27 off his four overs.
Match Summary: Gulbarga Mystics beat Shivamogga Lions by 9 wickets.
Only one team turned up today. A little glance at the match summary ought to tell you which one it was of course. The Gulbarga Mystics played like the champion team they were last season and having won two on the bounce, they've made a statement to the rest of the competition that they're now cooking. And they've managed to upstage the Shivamogga Lions on the points table, moving up to third spot by virtue of a massive net-run rate boost.
Having bowled the Lions out for a mere 121, the Mystics couldn't have asked for a better start with Aadarsh Prajwal, coming in as an impact substitute, watching it like a beachball and tearing into HS Sharath. A 20-run opening over rendered V Koushik's tidy spell at the other end moot as Prajwal continued to play his shots to maximize the powerplay. LR Chethan looked slightly scratchy to start with but picked up pace himself with a gorgeous six that he lofted over extra cover.
With the powerplay score reading 59/0, it was headed towards a very obvious finish. So much so that Rohan Naveen's blinder to send Naveen packing really didn't have much of an impact with Macneil Noronha also playing some crisp shots. Chethan took his time but once he was in, he was always going to go after the bowling himself. Despite a brief period of quiet overs, the Mystics were never in doubt with plenty of wickets in hand as they duly went about their work without breaking a sweat.
Clearly, they had the net run-rate in mind too and Chethan grabbed the opportunity with both hands, blasting his way into form with a belligerent half-century before sealing the deal with a couple of gigantic hits, consigning the Lions to their third consecutive defeat in the process. The Mystics have taken a while but they have arrived in the Maharaja Trophy 2023. Teams in the competition sure have to watch out for them now alright! Stick around for the presentation...
Sealed in emphatic fashion! A typical LR Chethan stamp of authority to wrap up a resounding victory for the Gulbarga Mystics. That'll give their net run-rate a massive boost as well.
12.4 Shreyas Gopal to LR Chethan, DONE AND DUSTED IN STYLE! Floated into the arc around the off stump and Chethan sits on one knee to launch it downtown. Cannons it way over the head of long off who can only watch it sail over his head and this has been an annihilation of some kind by the defending champions. Gulbarga Mystics wrap up a 9-wicket win with 44 deliveries to spare!
First fifty of the tournament for LR Chethan! And what a time to get into form too. A magnificent innings and the Mystics are just 2 runs away...
12.3 Shreyas Gopal to LR Chethan, SIX! MAJESTIC! FIFTY FOR CHETHAN! Flighted too full around the off stump as he gets into good position to loft it inside out over extra cover. Struck sweetly as it soars a mile back!
12.2 Shreyas Gopal to LR Chethan, FOUR MORE! The look on Gopal's face says it all! Back of a length delivery outside the off stump. Chethan throws his hands at it as he hangs back before the thick edge races away straight of short third man for four
Video
;'/></svg>)
S Gopal
;'/></svg>){kind=small}
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
