Jagadeesan, Aparajith get the better of R Ashwin's Dindigul Dragons

Chepauk Super Gillies defeated Dindigul Dragons by nine wickets in a rain-hit clash at Coimbatore on July 14 (Sunday). In a thrilling seven-over-a-side encounter, Chepauk Super Gillies chose to bowl first after winning the toss.

The match got off to a dramatic start as Chepauk's Abhishek Tanwar made an immediate impact in the first over by dismissing Shivam Singh and Boopathi for ducks. The all-rounder bowled the first match of TNPL 2024, leaving Dindigul reeling right from the outset.

The onslaught continued in the next over when Rahil Shah joined the fray, removing Baba Indrajith for a duck again, further adding to Dindigul's early woes. The team lost three wickets and gave two more opportunities in the first twelve balls of the match.

Ravichandran Ashwin, witnessing the unfolding events from the non-striker's end, counter-attacked against Rahil Shah, smashing two sixes and a boundary in his over and followed it up with back-to-back sixes off Abhishek Tanwar. The Dindigul captain eventually finished with an unbeaten 20-ball 45, taking the team to a competitive 64 in their allotted seven overs.

In response, Chepauk Super Gillies faced an early setback similar to Dindigul Dragons, losing Santhosh Kumar in the first ball of the innings. However, Jagadeesan and Baba Aparajith took charge and ensured their team crossed the finish line. The experienced pair added 65 runs for the second wicket.

Jagadeesan remained unbeaten at 32 off 14 runs, while Aparajith made 31*(14). The former champions move to the third spot in the points table with this comfortable win, while Dindigul Dragons drop down to sixth position.

The losing captain, Ashwin, said: "A match like this is always tricky. Our bowlers could not do much today as we found it difficult to grip the ball under the rain, but their batters did well to take them through. We still have matches in hand; we will look to turn things around."

The winning captain, Chepauk Super Gillies' Aparajith, said: "Firstly, credit to the ground staff for their work. We did not think the match would take place today. In a small game like this, the toss is very crucial. Fortunately, we won it, and everything fell into place today. We will take every game as important and start fresh for the next one."

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