VKK vs TT

That's all that we have from this match. Salem Spartans will take on the Chepauk Super Gillies at this very venue at 7 pm (IST) tomorrow. Keep an eye on our tabs for our coverage of the same! This is Rajarshi, signing off on behalf of Pradeep. Good night!

Match summary:

Lyca Kovai Kings win by 70 runs

Bhardwaj Sai Sudharsan 86(45) | Masood Shahrukh Khan 3/20 (4)
Tushar Raheja 33(33) | Vijay Shankar 3/26 (4)

Lyca Kovai Kings start off their 2023 Tamil Nadu Premier League campaign with a bang! The joint-winners of the previous year's edition produced a clinical display with the ball and on the field to blow the IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans away! The Tamizhans started off on a good note, but they lost their way completely as the innings rolled into the middle overs. Tushar Raheja tried to put up a resistance, but there was no way that he was going to guide them home.

The Tamizhans lost Chaturved four balls into the innings. K Vishal Vaidhya, summoned as an impact player, looked to accelerate alongside Raheja, but unlike the wicketkeeper-batter, wasn't quite able to get it off the meat of his blade. Shahrukh Khan kept bowling himself against the two left-handers over the course of the powerplay, and was able to break the stand eventually. That sparked a collapse of epic proportions, and we went on to witness one Tamizhan batter depart after another.

Shahrukh, Mohammed, Mukilesh and Kiran Akash all got in among the wickets as IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans lost their way completely. By the time the chase was at the halfway mark, the game had drifted away from them. Raheja tried to put up a fight with the tail, but a superb piece of fielding from Kannan ended his stay out there. The Tamizhans tail, though, did a good job of lasting all 20 overs and reducing the margin of defeat. Bhuvaneswaran was the last man out off the last ball of the match, sealing the deal eventually. 

19.6 Shahrukh Khan to P Bhuvaneswaran, OUT! PICKED OUT LONG-ON! Title defense has begun well for the Lyca Kovai Kings, they thump Tiruppur Tamizhans by a massive 70 run margin. Short on the off-stump, Bhuvi clubbed it flat and went straight to the fielder who takes a good catch to finish things off.

P Bhuvaneswaran c U Mukilesh b Shahrukh Khan 12 (21b 0x4 1x6)

19.4 Shahrukh Khan to S Manigandan, backed away in advance, Shahrukh follows him with a length delivery. Mani flicked it behind square for a couple.

19.1 Shahrukh Khan to S Manigandan, tossed up, short and outside the off-stump. Mani looks to go big but decides to turn it into the on-side for one.

Shahrukh Khan (3-0-15-2) is back into the attack

Final over, then. Bhuvaneswaran has finally managed to clear the boundary, having lasted for 18 deliveries!

18.6 M Mohammed to P Bhuvaneswaran, SIX! BANG! Bhuvi gets hold of it. Length delivery on the stumps, Bhuvi swings and POWERED it straight down the ground for a maximum.

18.5 M Mohammed to P Bhuvaneswaran, back of a length on the fourth stump, Bhuvi goes poking at it and that whiskers past the outside edge to the keeper.

18.4 M Mohammed to P Bhuvaneswaran, back of a length on the fifth stump, Bhuvi gets forward and defends it to backward point fielder for no run.

18.3 M Mohammed to P Bhuvaneswaran, OH! Good stop from Manimaran at wide long-on, ran around. Bhuvi pulled that one firmly to wide long-on as they come back for a brace.