The Dindigul Dragons made it third time lucky as they finally secured their maiden Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) title, ending the Kovai Kings’ reign in a thrilling final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. The Dragons, who had previously lost in the final in 2018 and 2019, put an end to their title drought by overcoming the defending champions.
After choosing to field first, the Dragons restricted Kovai to a modest 129-7 in their allotted 20 overs. The Kings’ innings never truly got going, with two extended periods without a boundary highlighting their struggles in the crucial match. Sandeep Warrier provided the early breakthrough for the Dragons, taking two wickets for 26 runs. However, it was the introduction of mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy in the last over of the powerplay that truly turned the tide.
Varun, along with left-arm spinner P Vignesh, engineered a collapse, reducing Kovai from 49-1 to 51-4 within the space of five balls. This crucial phase put the Dragons firmly in control of the contest. Despite a 36-run partnership between Ram Arvindh and Atheeq Ur Rahman, Kovai struggled to recover. Atheeq’s aggressive intent against pace bowler Subodh Bhati led to the demise of the partnership.
Adding to Kovai’s woes, their key player, Shahrukh Khan, fell cheaply, caught by Sarath Kumar at deep mid-wicket. Sarath proved to be a force to be reckoned with on the field, taking four impressive catches.
In their chase of 130, the Dragons encountered early hiccups, losing openers Shivam Singh and Vimal Khumar. However, skipper Ravichandran Ashwin (52 off 46 balls) and Baba Indrajith (32) steadied the ship with a crucial 65-run partnership for the third wicket. The duo showcased their composure and experience, key factors in the Dragons’ recent success.
After Indrajith’s dismissal, Ashwin, who was on his way to his third consecutive half-century, brought the Dragons closer to victory. However, it was Sarath Kumar who ultimately sealed the deal, smashing a six over long-on off Kovai skipper Shahrukh Khan to finish the match with 10 balls to spare. The Dragons secured a comfortable six-wicket win, celebrating their first TNPL title with elation.
