Captain’s pride: Vignesh put the skids on Kovai Kings with a superb spell.
| Photo Credit: VEDHAN M
Dindigul Dragons, powered by skipper R. Ashwin’s brilliant batting and inspirational leadership, clinched its maiden TNPL crown with a six-wicket win over Lyca Kovai Kings in the final at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
Dragons’ attack, led by pacer Sandeep Warrier (4-0-26-2) and spinners Varun Chakravarthy (4-0-26-2) and P. Vignesh (4-0-15-2), restricted Kovai Kings to 129 for seven.
Chasing the modest target, Dragons were in trouble as M. Siddharth sent back Shivam Singh in the second over. G. Thamarai Kannan dismissed the other opener Vimal Khumar in the next before Ashwin and B. Indrajith (32, 35b, 3×4) revived the innings.
The duo rotated the strike and hit the odd boundary to keep the scoreboard ticking.
The Dindigul side was firmly in control at the halfway point when Kovai Kings skipper Shahrukh Khan broke the 65-run third-wicket stand by dismissing Indrajith in the 14th over.
Ashwin (52, 46b, 1×4, 3×6) went on to score his third consecutive half-century before Sarath Kumar’s blitz (27 not out, 15b, 2×4, 2×6) sealed it for Dragons.
Earlier, after a downpour delayed the start by 40 minutes, Ashwin’s decision to bowl first was vindicated.
Pacer Sandeep Warrier accounted for J. Suresh Kumar in the third over before Sai Sudharsan and S. Sujay smashed 18 runs off V. P. Dhiran in the fifth over. Things took a dramatic turn once Varun was introduced in the sixth over.
He dismissed Sujay, thanks to Indrajith’s glovework behind the stumps, and U. Mukilesh off the next delivery.
However, it was the 19-year-old left-arm spinner P. Vignesh who got the big scalps of Sai Sudharsan and Shahrukh.
With Ashwin employing the spin choke, the Kovai team could score only 53 runs between overs seven and 15.
And the total of 129 wasn’t enough once Ashwin blazed away.
The scores (final):
Lyca Kovai Kings 129/7 in 20 overs (Atheeq Ur Rahman 25, Sandeep Warrier 2/26, Varun Chakravarthy 2/26, P. Vignesh 2/15) lost to Dindigul Dragons 131/4 in 18.2 overs (R. Ashwin 52, B. Indrajith 32, Sarath Kumar 27 n.o.); Toss: Dindigul.
