The eighth match of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2023 witnessed some remarkable fielding skills displayed by Murugan Ashwin during the clash between Dindigul Dragons and Siechem Madurai Panthers. The game took an exhilarating turn when Ashwin pulled off a sensational catch in the second innings as Dindigul Dragons pursued a target of 124.
The incident occurred in the fourth over of Dindigul’s chase when pacer Gurjapneet Singh delivered a length ball to S Arun. Arun attempted a powerful slash over point but mistimed the shot, sending the ball soaring into the air. Murugan Ashwin, exhibiting great athleticism, sprinted backward and dove to snatch the ball with both hands. This remarkable catch marked the third dismissal for Dindigul Dragons within the powerplay and also secured Gurjapneet Singh his third wicket of the match.
Welcome to Murugan Ashwin Airlines, this is your captain speaking👨✈️✈️#NammaOoruNammaGethu #TNPL #DD #SMP #DDvsSMP pic.twitter.com/1BJuQzNleM
— Star Sports Tamil (@StarSportsTamil) June 19, 2023
Madurai’s quick succession of three wickets initially placed them in a dominant position. However, a game-changing partnership between Baba Indrajith and Adithya Ganesh turned the tide in favor of the Dragons. Indrajith, the Dindigul wicketkeeper-batsman, blazed through the innings, reaching a scintillating fifty off just 35 deliveries in the 12th over bowled by Washington Sundar. This over proved to be the most expensive for Madurai as Indrajith continued his onslaught, smashing consecutive sixes and finishing with a boundary off the last ball.
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The 26-run over drastically altered the course of the game, and the Dindigul Dragons comfortably achieved the modest target of 124 with 35 balls to spare. Indrajith remained unbeaten on 78 off 48 deliveries, featuring 7 boundaries and 4 sixes. His partner, Adithya Ganesh, contributed an unbeaten 22, including 1 boundary and a six.
In the earlier innings, Madurai Panthers were dismissed for 123 runs in 19.3 overs after being asked to bat first. Jagatheesan Kousik top-scored with a brisk 45 off 34 balls, while captain Hari Nishanth contributed 24 off 26 deliveries, comprising two boundaries and a six.
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Among the Dindigul bowlers, Suboth Bhati emerged as the standout performer, recording figures of 3 for 19 in 4 overs. Sarvana Kumar also claimed three wickets for 22 runs in 3.3 overs, while Varun Chakravarthy secured 2 for 23. Captain Ravichandran Ashwin and M Mathivannan chipped in with a wicket each.
