Tiruppur Tamizhans kick off with win Vs Trichy Warriors

CHENNAI: Tiruppur Tamizhans kicked off their TNPL-6 campaign with a four-wicket win over Trichy Warriors in Tirunelveli on Monday. Trichy’s target of 158 proved to be tricky for Tiruppur. After losing their openers cheaply, Maan Bafna (26) and S Anand (35) set up the team’s chase with a 61-run third wicket stand before Tushar Raheja (42 n.o., 4x4, 2x6) and M Mohammed (29 n.o., 2x4, 2x6) shone in their unbeaten seventh-wicket partnership (60 runs in just 4.4 overs) to see Tiruppur through in 18.5 overs.
Tiruppur didn’t have the best of starts as openers --- S Anirudha (9) and S Siddharth (7) failed to last long.Maan Bafna and Anand’s 51-ball stand revived their innings. However, Trichy hit back by getting rid of Bafna and Anand in quick succession. From 2-78 ---Tiruppur slipped to 6 for 98. That’s when Mohammed and Raheja took centre-stage and took the game away from Trichy.
For Trichy, medium-pacer P Saravana Kumar (3-44) and left-arm spinner M Mathivannan (2-20) shone with the ball.
Batting first, Trichy scored 157-6 thanks to two crucial partnerships. They got off to a fiery start with openers M Vijay (34) and Amit Satvik (26, 4x4, 1x6) adding 57 for the first wicket in 5.3 overs. Vijay looked in great touch and his 16-ball cameo contained 6 fours and a six. Once the two departed, Tiruppur came back into the contest.
Brief scores: Ruby Trichy Warriors 157-6 in 20 overs (M Vijay 34, M Mathivannan 27 n.o; Aswin Crist 2-41). iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans 158-6 in 18.5 overs (Tushar Raheja 42 n.o., S Anand 35, M Mohammed 29 n.o.). Tiruppur won by 4 wkts.