In a thrilling contest of Maharaja T20 Trophy the Mysore Warriors secured their place in the final with a nail-biting 9-run victory over the Hubli Tigers in the second semi-final of the tournament. The match, held under the lights, saw moments of brilliance and drama as both teams fought tooth and nail to claim victory.
Mysore Warriors Puts Competitive Total
Opting to bat first, Mysore Warriors posted a competitive total of 177 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. The innings was anchored by SU Karthik, who played a pivotal role with a well-crafted 53 off 43 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes. Although the Warriors lost early wickets, with their captain Karun Nair dismissed for just 4, Karthik held the innings together.
Srinivas Sharath (26 off 26) and Sumit Kumar (18 off 16) provided some stability in the middle overs, but it was Manoj Bhandage who added the crucial late surge. Bhandage smashed a quickfire 26 off just 11 balls, including two fours and two sixes, propelling the Warriors to a defendable total.
Hubli Tigers’ bowlers were put to the test, but they managed to take wickets at regular intervals. LR Kumar was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 37 runs, while Vidhwath Kaverappa also chipped in with 2 wickets, though he was on the expensive side, conceding 40 runs in his 4 overs.
Hubli Tigers’ Chase Was A Spirited Attempt
Chasing 178 for a spot in the final, Hubli Tigers got off to a brisk start, scoring 55 runs in the powerplay. However, they lost wickets at crucial moments, which hampered their momentum. Krishnappa Gowtham was the star with the ball for the Warriors, delivering a match-winning spell of 4-0-29-3.
He accounted for the key wickets of Thippa Reddy (33 off 19), who was stumped after a quickfire start, and captain Manish Pandey (6 off 12), who was unable to provide the stability his team needed.
Karthikeya KP was the standout performer for Hubli with the bat, remaining unbeaten on 61 off 39 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes.
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He fought valiantly to keep Hubli in the game, but the lack of support from the other end proved costly. Manvanth Kumar L (21 off 20) provided some late resistance, but it wasn’t enough to take Hubli over the line.
Despite a valiant effort, the Tigers fell short by 9 runs, ending their tournament campaign.
Key Moments:
Karthik’s Steady Knock: His composed 53 was the backbone of the Warriors’ innings, ensuring they had a total to defend.
Krishnappa Gowtham’s All-round Performance: Gowtham not only picked up 3 crucial wickets but also contributed with the bat, scoring a quick 10 not out off 4 balls.
Karthikeya KP’s Unbeaten 61: A fighting innings that kept Hubli’s hopes alive till the very end.
With this victory, the Mysore Warriors have earned their place in the final, where they will look to clinch the title. The Hubli Tigers, despite a strong campaign, will reflect on what could have been, especially after coming so close to victory in this intense semi-final.
