Coimbatore, July 18: Dindigul Dragons bounced back from two consecutive losses in the Shriram Capital TNPL 2024 with a convincing eight-wicket victory over IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans in a rain-curtailed contest.
In a match reduced to 13 overs per side due to rain, Dindigul Dragons won the toss and elected to bowl first. Tiruppur got off to a strong start with openers S Radhakrishnan (36 off 30 balls) and Tushar Raheja (32 off 26 balls) stitching a solid 71-run partnership. Despite some early breakthroughs by Dindigul’s Subodh Bhati (3/14), including crucial dismissals of Radhakrishnan and Ganesh, Tiruppur managed a competitive total of 108/4. Amit Sathvik’s quickfire 28* off 15 balls bolstered their innings.
Chasing 109 for victory, Dindigul faced early setbacks with openers Vimal Khumar and Shivam Singh departing cheaply. However, Boopathi Vaishna Kumar turned the tide with a blistering unbeaten 51 off just 25 deliveries, supported by Baba Indrajith’s composed 31* off 25 balls. Their unbeaten 75-run partnership ensured Dindigul reached the target with 7 balls to spare.
Speaking after the match, IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans’ captain Sai Kishore rued the missed opportunity, stating, “We thought we had a defendable total, but couldn’t execute our plans with the ball.”
Meanwhile, Subodh Bhati, awarded the Player of the Match for his pivotal 3-wicket haul, remarked, “It feels great to contribute to the team’s victory after being sidelined initially.”
Dindigul Dragons’ skipper Ravichandran Ashwin expressed relief at the win, emphasizing the importance of Boopathi Kumar’s explosive batting and the team’s overall performance. “Boopathi has shown tremendous growth,” he added.
With this win, Dindigul Dragons climb to fifth place in the TNPL 2024 points table, setting the stage for their upcoming matches with renewed confidence.