Shivam Singh, Adithya Ganesh power Ashwin-less Dindigul Dragon to win

Shivam Singh and Adithya Ganesh shared a century-run partnership as Dindigul Dragons won the 20th match of the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2023 at Salem Cricket Foundation Ground.

Ravichandran Ashwin has joined the Indian team for the West Indies series, and Baba Indrajith, who has taken over the captaincy from the Indian all-rounder, was the captain today as well. Aushik Srinivas made it to the playing eleven, replacing the Indian star.

Baba Indrajith called it right at the toss and opted to field first. A few drizzles delayed the start of the game, but thankfully, the rain stayed away for the remainder of the match.

iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans had a steady start to the inning. The team was 40-0 at the end of the powerplay. Tushar Raheja dominated the first wicket partnership, scoring 30 runs out of the 41-run stand.

Aushik Srinivas gave the team an initial breakthrough by dismissing S Radhakrishnan. His dismissal brought Sai Kishore in. Notably, Sai Kishore smashed one of the fastest fifties of TNPL 2023 in his previous outing. The experienced all-rounder continued from where he left off in the last game and scored 45 off 35 deliveries. Sai Kishore added 53 (40) runs with Vijay Shankar.

Anirudh Sita Ram, who was in at number five, went for big shots right from ball one. The duo added 36 (20) before Anirudh's unfortunate run-out. He made 22 (12), adding a 37-run partnership with Vijay Shankar for the fifth wicket.

R. Vivek, who is known for his aggressive batting, showcased his talent once again. The aggressive batter added 17 runs, taking the pressure off Vijay Shankar, who ended with 43 (27).

Chasing 174 runs to win, the Dindigul Dragons had a decent start. The openers added 34 runs for the first wicket before Sai Kishore dismissed Vimal Khumar for 14 runs. After Boopathi Kumar's dismissal for 14, Adithya Ganesh, the impact player of the Dindigul Dragons, joined hands with Shivam Singh.

The duo kept finding the fielders and had to keep the scoreboard ticking by converting dots to ones. When the run rate started to climb above nine, Adithya Ganesh's wristy approach came in handy, as he found boundaries twice in Sai Kishore's over. 

Shivam Singh showed his maturity by taking the game deep. The opener got to his half-century in 42 deliveries. The Dindigul Dragons needed 45 runs from the last five overs.

Shivam Singh gathered two boundaries, and Adithya Ganesh found the boundary once in the 16th over. This helped the required run rate go below the current run rate. Sai Kishore bowled the next over and even created an opportunity. Unfortunately, Vijay Shankar could not grab it. Despite all the chaos, Sai Kishore finished his spell with 2/24.

The duo added 105 (61) for the third wicket and took the team home with ease. Shivam Singh was the top scorer with 74* (57), while Adithya Ganesh remained unbeaten at 59* (30). With this win, the Dindigul Dragons move closer to the knockout spot. They are currently in third place with four wins in five matches.

The winning captain, Baba Indrajith, said: "Honestly, we gave 20 runs more, but Shivam Singh and Adithya Ganesh batted really well. Yes, we were a little superstitious and did not move an inch during their stand. The change in the batting order was due to their spinners, and we wanted to maintain the right-left combination."

The losing captain, NS Chaturved, said: "I felt the bowlers could have done well in the middle overs. Now, we have to win both matches, and then we will think about the net run rate for the knockouts. Vijay Shankar had a niggle in the last game, so he did not bowl in this match. We will try to come back stronger."

The player of the match, Shivam Singh, said: "The plan was to not lose wickets in the powerplay. The new ball was difficult to take on, but the outfield was wet. I wanted to take the time because of that. Adithya Ganesh took the pressure off me well."

In the 21st match, the Siechem Madurai Panthers will meet Ba11sy Trichy. This also marks the final game of the Salem Phase, as the TNPL caravan will move to Tirunelveli next.

This is a must-win game for the Siechem Madurai Panthers. The former champions are in fifth place with two wins and as many losses. A win here will take them to the fourth spot in the points table. Ba11sy Trichy is still searching for its first victory of the tournament. They have lost all four matches so far.

(Image and Match Report courtesy: TNPL)