Kovai Kings bowl rivals over in victorious campaign

Batters win you games, but bowlers win you tournaments. In TNPL-10, Vida Kovai Kings proved it right as its potent bowling attack secured its third title in five years, beating Madurai Panthers by 82 runs in the final here on Friday.

The title decider began with a glitzy closing ceremony, and in the end, it was M. Shahrukh Khan’s men who shone brightly under lights.

Since 2022, Shahrukh has led the franchise to the summit clash on four occasions, underscoring its consistency. Despite a mega auction in between, the team managed to retain its core group of players while also adding some exciting talents.

Apart from the skipper, top-order batter B. Sachin and spinners M. Siddharth and Jhathavedh Subramanyan were part of the set-up which last won in 2023, and their experience proved handy in the end.

Sachin shouldered the batting load in the first part of the season, and once the others started to chip in, Kovai Kings’ bowling attack could bundle out opponents easily.

As far as the tournament as a whole is concerned, one criticism it faced in recent years was that the pitches were not conducive for high-scoring games, which in turn affected the batters’ development in the shortest format.

Although the competition was played at only two venues this year, the surfaces were batting-friendly and saw the most runs scored in a single edition.

Amongst youngsters, the biggest positive was the emergence of pacer D. Deepesh, who clocked speeds in excess of 140 kph. The 18-year-old’s rise should excite TN ahead of the domestic season.

Since its third SMAT title in 2021, TN’s fortunes in T20 cricket have dipped drastically, and it has failed to qualify for the knockouts ever since. As the State team looks to regain its footing at the National level, it remains to be seen if some of the performers in the league can deliver at a bigger stage.

Awards: Highest wicket-taker: Deeban Lingesh (Kovai Kings); Highest run-scorer: B. Sachin (Kovai Kings); Most dependable player: Deeban Lingesh (Kovai Kings); Player-of-the-Tournament: B. Sachin (Kovai Kings).