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).

Andre Siddarth celebrated his 20th birthday in style, smashing a stunning 47-ball 82 (7×4, 5×6) to power Vida Kovai Kings to its third TNPL title with a 84-run win over Madurai Panthers in the summit clash at the MAC Stadium on Friday.

It was a remarkable turnaround for M. Shahrukh Khan’s men, who had just one win from the first four games before stringing together five consecutive victories to emerge triumphant in the 10th edition.

Electing to bat, Kovai Kings made 182 for seven, riding on a 117-run stand for the third wicket between Andre and B. Sachin.

After openers S. Radhakrishnan and S. Lokeshwar got the team off to a breezy start, Andre maintained the momentum by playing some stylish strokes. The tall youngster, blessed with a great sense of timing, cut and punched through square elegantly.

Andre had a slice of luck when he was dropped on 44 by ‘keeper Ramkumar off Rohan Bhutra, and he gleefully accepted the birthday gift by bringing up his half-century in 34 deliveries.

He then cut loose, first going after pacer G. Periyasamy, picking his slower deliveries early and depositing them over the ropes for a brace of maximums. He then did the same to Rohan in the next over, racing into the 70s. Though Panthers pulled things back in the last five overs through P. Saravanan’s four for 30, Andre and Sachin had by then done enough to get a competitive score on board.

Chasing 183, Panthers’ chase went awry immediately after pacer Deeban Lingesh and spinner M. Siddharth sent back the openers in the first two overs. N.S. Chaturved and V. Hari Ragavendra tried to rebuild the innings, but the latter was run-out attempting a needless single in the final over of the PowerPlay.

From there, Jhathavedh Subramanyan and Shahrukh broke through the middle-order and bowled their side to glory.

The scores: Vida Kovai Kings 182/7 in 20 overs (B. Sachin 39, Andre Siddarth 82, P. Saravanan 4/30) bt Madurai Panthers 98 in 14.2 overs (N.S. Chaturved 40, Deeban Lingesh 2/30, M. Siddharth 3/18, Shahrukh Khan 3/10).

Player-of-the-final: Andre Siddarth. Player-of-the-tournament: B. Sachin.

Well begun is half done. Madurai Panthers established itself as the side to watch out for in TNPL-10 by winning its first four games.

Though there was a stumble after that, Panthers closed out the league stage strongly with a 72-run thrashing of Nellai Royal Kings to finish top of the table. That proved vital as it helped the Madurai side reach the final after its Qualifier 1 against second-placed Trichy Grand Cholas was washed out.

Panthers will now look to fulfil that early-season promise when it takes on Vida Kovai Kings in the summit clash at the MAC Stadium here on Friday.

B. Anirudh Sita Ram’s men have shown great tenacity to conjure victories from tough situations. The former champion’s campaign has been a case of the team being greater than the sum of its parts.

Its top-two run scorers — Atheeq Ur Rahman and N.S. Chaturved — are ninth and 11th on the chart while none of its bowlers is among the top-10 wicket-takers. Unlike the panthers in the wild, this Madurai outfit has worked effectively as a collective.

Like Panthers, Kovai Kings also benefited from a washout to advance out of the Eliminator clash against iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans based on league standings.

The side’s strength has been its potent bowling line-up led by pacers Deeban Lingesh and G. Kishoor while M. Siddharth and Jhathavedh Subramanyan form a formidable spin combo. On the batting front, Kovai Kings have been over-reliant on B. Sachin. But fortunately for the Coimbatore unit, opener S. Lokeshwar and skipper M. Shahrukh Khan have found form in recent outings.

It could come down to the battle between Panthers’ batting depth and Kovai Kings’ varied bowling attack in what promises to be an intriguing finale.

A confident Madurai Panthers skipper B. Anirudh Sita Ram revealed that the team’s pre-auction work in identifying the right talent came to fruition in TNPL-10. He was speaking ahead of the title decider against Vida Kovai Kings on Friday.

“We knew that to win a tournament we needed the players to perform as a team, not as individuals. Going back [in the past few years], we had many individual talents. But as a team, we couldn’t cross that line. This year, we looked to fix those issues and bring in talent who could step up right away. In every game, we could see a new performer get us through,” said Anirudh.

Meanwhile, Kovai Kings captain M. Shahrukh Khan was pleased with how his side had come good in the business end of the competition. After just one victory in its first four games, the two-time champion won its final three league matches to qualify for the playoffs.

“We have been doing the same thing from the start. Sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn’t. But the most important thing is to follow what we have planned and do it as consistently as possible. Soon we are bound to get results. We have been keeping at it, and fortunately, we have been peaking at the right time,” said Shahrukh.

Vida Kovai Kings progressed to Qualifier 2 of the TNPL after its Eliminator against iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans was washed out at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Monday.

Kovai Kings and Tamizhans were placed third and fourth on the table, with both teams on eight points. But Kovai Kings had the superior Net Run Rate of 1.638, compared to Tamizhans’ -0.013, and thus advanced to the next stage.

The match had promised intriguing battles, with the Shahrukh Khan-led side boasting the tournament’s two most economical bowlers in left-arm spinner M. Siddharth (nine wickets at 5.46) and leggie Jhathavedh Subramanyan (13 at 6.29).

Tamizhans’ openers Amith Sathvik (striking at 212.74) and left-hander Tushar Raheja (193.08) arrived as the competition’s two fastest-scoring batters.

Kovai Kings’ pace duo of Deeban Lingesh (12) and G. Kishoor (10) had also been among the wickets, providing further edge to the Eliminator.

Asked to bat, Tamizhans made an unusually sedate start, reaching 15 without loss in three overs before a heavy downpour brought play to a halt.

Deeban, bowling with the wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps, and Siddharth kept things tight, denying the openers the kind of start they had become accustomed to this season.

The scores: iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans 15/0 in three overs vs. Vida Kovai Kings. Match called off due to rain.

Wednesday’s match (Qualifier 2): Trichy Grand Cholas vs. Vida Kovai Kings (7.30 p.m.).

The start of the business end of TNPL-10 turned out to be a damp squib as rain played spoilsport in the Qualifier 1 clash between Madurai Panthers and Trichy Grand Cholas. The game was abandoned after two interruptions at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Sunday.

The 2018 champion booked its place in the summit clash to be held on Friday, thanks to its top-of-the-table finish.

Though both sides earned 10 points in the league stage, Panthers had a better Net Run Rate (0.548) compared to Grand Cholas’ 0.095.

In this context, Panthers’ thumping 72-run win over Nellai Royal Kings in its last league match on Saturday helped the B. Anirudh Sita Ram-led outfit leapfrog Grand Cholas in the standings.

Earlier on Sunday evening, the Madurai team opted to field, and only 2.5 overs were possible before rain stopped the proceedings with Grand Cholas at 25 for one.

Play resumed two hours later, and after just two more overs, the heavens opened up again to bring the curtains down for the night.

The scores: Trichy Grand Cholas 49/1 in 4.5 overs (K. Rajkumar 38 n.o.) vs. Madurai Panthers.

Monday’s match (Eliminator): Vida Kovai Kings vs. iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans (7.30 p.m.).

The TNPL’s PIN code shifting to the State capital from Dindigul brought out the best in the Trichy Grand Cholas batters. Grand Cholas, after getting shot out for 85 and suffering an abysmal 116-run loss to Vida Kovai Kings at Dindigul, racked up 197 for four against Dindigul Dragons at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Wednesday.

The 199-run chase (DLS target) proved too steep for Dragons as their effort ended at 170 for eight in 19 overs. The Tiruchi outfit’s 28-run win was built on the solid 118-run stand between openers K. Rajkumar (71, 42b, 9×4, 3×6) and J. Suresh Kumar (60, 41b, 7×4, 3×6).

After Grand Cholas were asked to bat, K. Rajkumar was hitting boundaries for fun until the heavens opened up 15 minutes into the game. The 45-minute delay meant the game was reduced to 19 overs per side.

Suresh, who was trudging along, pressed on the accelerator before being caught in the deep off P. Bhuvaneswaran. Viju Arul sending back K. Rajkumar and R. Rajkumar briefly halted the run-scoring spree, but Jafar Jamal (21, 9b, 3×6) took the team close to the 200-run mark.

Later, Shivam Singh (47, 28b, 8×4) and B. Indrajith (32, 22b, 4×4, 1×6) kept the game interesting with a 43-ball 73-run stand for the second wicket. However, once Antony Dhas (three for 25) made amends for dropping Shivam by removing Indrajith and the opener, the DD innings went off the rails. K. Easwaran (four for 25) wrapped up a much-needed victory.

The scores:

Trichy Grand Cholas 197/4 in 19 overs (K. Rajkumar 71, J. Suresh Kumar 60, Sanjay Yadav 33 n.o., Viju Arul 2/30) bt Dindigul Dragons 170/8 in 19 overs (Shivam Singh 47, B. Indrajith 32, R.K. Jayant (Impact Player) 34 n.o., K. Easwaran 4/25, Antony Dhas 3/25); DLS target 199 in 19 overs.

Thursday’s matches: Madurai Panthers vs. iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans (3.30 p.m.); Nellai Royal Kings vs. SKM Salem Spartans (7.30 p.m.).

A special occasion demanded special performances.

In the 100th Tamil Nadu Premier League match hosted at the NPR College ground here, top-order batter B. Sachin (77, 45b, 6×4, 4×6) and leg-spinner Jhathavedh Subramanyan (4-0-10-3) joined the party as Vida Kovai Kings thumped Trichy Grand Cholas by 116 runs on Saturday.

Chasing 202, Grand Cholas were jolted early as medium-pacer Deeban Lingesh sent back skipper-opener J. Suresh Kumar for a duck in the first over. Left-arm spinner M. Siddharth dismissed Shyam Sundar, the centurion from the previous game, before Deeban returned to castle J. Kousik.

Kovai Kings went from strength to strength, with Jhathavedh disturbing Bhavan Suriya’s furniture to leave Grand Cholas reeling at 40 for four in the daunting chase.

Opener K. Rajkumar (32) was handed a reprieve in the eighth over when C. Andre Siddarth put him down at long-on off Prashid Akash. The debutant, however, found joy as he ended Jafar Jamal’s stay soon after.

Jhathavedh came back to remove K. Rajkumar, who could not capitalise on his ‘life’, and Antony Dhas to have the Trichy outfit staring down the barrel at 59 for seven.

R.S. Ambrish soon joined in the celebration, dismissing R. Rajkumar and Ganesh Moorthi as Shahrukh Khan’s Kovai Kings finally broke free of their three-match losing streak. Earlier, after the Kovai side was asked to bat, Sachin held the innings together while finding an able ally in Madhava Prasad (38 n.o.). The pair added 75 off 43 balls for the sixth wicket as Kovai Kings went past the 200-mark.

The scores: Vida Kovai Kings 201/6 in 20 overs (B. Sachin 77, Madhava Prasad 38 n.o., K. Easwaran 2/41) bt Trichy Grand Cholas 85 in 16.1 overs (K. Rajkumar 32, K. Deeban Lingesh 3/24, Jhathavedh Subramanyan 3/10, R.S. Ambrish 2/22).

When persistent rain and a delayed start kept Spartans waiting, little would they have known what was about to hit them. However, once the skies cleared and the match began, there was nowhere to hide.

Dindigul Dragons captain B. Indrajith (73, 25b, 3×4, 8×6) led a breathtaking assault to hand the Spartans an 81-run thrashing in a 15-over-a-side Tamil Nadu Premier League clash at the NPR College ground here on Friday.

The Dragons’ innings began in breathless fashion as openers Shivam Singh (38) and V.K. Vineeth (45) tore into the bowling, racing to 70 in only four overs. Vineeth’s run-out briefly offered the Salem Spartans some respite before debutant E. Krish departed for a golden duck, but the Salem outfit was under the pump soon after. Vimal Khumar (35, 17b, 1×4, 3×6) and Indrajith took over and turned the heat on the Spartans’ bowlers, putting on 62 off just 24 balls for the fourth wicket.

Boundaries flowed with such regularity that the opposition looked clueless. Even Vimal’s dismissal did little to stem the flow of runs.

Indrajith, joined by Hunny Saini (29, 10b, 2×4, 3×6), took the attack apart in the 13th over bowled by M. Poiyamozhi, plundering 32 runs with four maximums and a four.

The onslaught continued in the following over against Uday Kumar, with the pair clearing the ropes four more times, as Dragons finished with 239 for six. The mammoth chase was headed in only one direction, and Dragons made sure the Spartans were never in with a shout.

In the second match, Mokit Hariharan’s maiden century (108, 50b, 4×4, 10×6) and a record-breaking 169-run opening stand with Chepauk Super Gillies captain N. Jagadeesan (79) saw his team tame Madurai Panthers by 39 runs.

Debutant V. Hari Ragavendra’s fighting 98 (55b, 9×4, 6×6) kept Panthers in the hunt, but it proved insufficient as they suffered their first defeat.

The scores: Dindigul Dragons 239/6 in 15 overs (Shivam Singh 38, V.K. Vineeth 45, B. Indrajith 73, Karthick Manikandan 2/14, R. Vivek 3/22) bt SKM Salem Spartans 158/8 in 15 overs (S. Abishiek 38, M. Viju Arul 3/29). Chepauk Super Gillies 240/2 in 20 overs (Mokit Hariharan 108, N. Jagadeesan 79, Swapnil Singh 42 n.o., G. Periyasamy 2/33) bt Madurai Panthers 201/8 in 20 overs (V. Hari Ragavendra 98, Swapnil Singh 2/17, J. Prem Kumar 2/28).

Saturday’s match: Vida Kovai Kings vs. Trichy Grand Cholas, 7.30 p.m.

In a serious breach of anti-corruption regulations, a player in the ongoing Tamil Nadu Premier League has come under the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit scanner.

He was found to be in possession of a mobile phone in the restricted Players and Match Officials Area during his team’s match.

Players are prohibited from using any communication devices and have to deposit their gadgets with the team manager before entering the PMOAs.

Only the team manager is permitted to carry a mobile in the PMOA, and should use it only for cricket operations.

The incident occurred at the NPR College ground in Natham, Dindigul, earlier this week, where the TNPL has been happening since August 4.

The Anti-Corruption Unit has made a formal communication to the TNCA regarding the incident.

“Yes, we have received a letter about this incident. We have instructed the concerned team owners not to consider him for selection until the enquiry is over. We are investigating the matter and will take appropriate action,” said TNCA secretary U. Bhagawandas Rao in a statement.

Earlier this year in the IPL, Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder was fined ₹1 lakh and given a warning for using a phone in the dugout during the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Managers are allowed to use mobiles only in the dressing room and not in the dugouts.