Unbeaten Arun carries Madurai make TNPL 3 final

CHENNAI: Siechem Madurai Panthers' dream run in the TNPL 3 continued as they made the final after beating Lyca Kovai Kings in their Qualifier 2 clash by seven wickets at the NPR College in Dindigul on Friday. Madurai will lock horns with Dindigul Dragons in the title clash at MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Sunday. Madurai's impressive show was set up by their bowlers who kept Kovai to 125-7 before their man-in-form KB Arun Karthick (79 n.o., 8x4, 4x6) came to the party with the bat.
Chasing a tricky target of 126 on a slow track, Madurai lost opener Tushar Raheja (8, 1x4) and Thalaivan Sargunam (5, 1x4) early.The experienced Arun and skipper D Rohit (30, 2x4) took centre-stage and their 76-run partnership for the third wicket proved to be the game-changer. With the asking rate not on the higher side, the two were happy to milk the Kovai bowling for singles and twos. Whenever an opportunity presented for the ball to be hit, Arun-Rohit dutifully obliged. Despite losing Rohit - caught by Natarajan off leggie Manigandan in the 17th over - Arun soldiered on and stayed till the end to see his side home in 18.2 overs.
Taking first strike, Ashwin Venkataraman (45, 4x4, 1x6) and Prasanth Rajesh (29, 2x4, 1x6) were instrumental in the side finishing with a fighting total which at one point looked out of reach. On a wicket where run-making wasn't the smoothest of exercises, the duo's 57-run stand for the fifth wicket kept Kovai in business. The enterprising partnership commenced in the 12th over with the scoreboard 60 for 4. Both Ashwin and Prasanth took their time to gauge the wicket. The 18th over of the innings - bowled by J Kousik (1-39) - saw him being hit for 22 runs. That particular over - which had two fours and as many sixes - helped Kovai cross the 100-run mark.
The opening phase of Kovai's innings saw skipper Abhinav Mukund (28, 3x4) looking positive - as he added 49 for the third wicket with Ashwin - before he was caught behind in the 12th over.
For Madurai, medium-pacers Abhishek Tanwar (3 for 28) and Kousik (1 for 39) were on the money. Abhishek accounted for opener Shahrukh Khan (4, 1x4) and R Rohith (5, 1x4) and Ashwin, while Kousik dismissed Abhinav. The spin trio of offie C Varun (0-13) and left-arm spinners Rahil Shah (0-20) and Karthikeyan (0-14) kept it tight and gave away just 47 runs from the 10 overs they bowled.
Brief scores: Lyca Kovai Kings 125 for 7 in 20 overs (Ashwin Venkataraman 45, P Rajesh 29; Abhishek 3 for 27, Kousik 1 for 39). Siechem Madurai Panthers 131 for 3 in 18.2 overs (Arun Karthick 79 n.o., D Rohit 30). Madurai won by 7 wickets