WATCH: R Ashwin endures rollercoaster of emotions as Varun Chakravarthy pulls off thrilling victory in TNPL
Dindigul Dragons secured a thrilling last-ball victory against Salem Spartans in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) on Sunday, as Varun Chakravarthy hit a six and a four in the final two deliveries to achieve a two-wicket win.
R Ashwin
, who led from the front with both bat and ball, earned the Player of the Match award for his three-wicket haul and quick-fire batting performance.
The match came down to the wire in the final over with Dragons needing 11 runs to win. After M Karthik Saran's dismissal on the first ball and a single taken by DT Chandrasekar, Chakravarthy faced a crucial situation. A no-ball followed by a six on the free hit over long-on brought the equation down to one run needed off the last ball, which Chakravarthy dispatched for a boundary.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
R Ashwin played a pivotal role earlier in the innings, contributing a rapid 35 runs off just 14 balls, including five fours and two sixes. The Dragons got off to a strong start, reaching 70 for 2 in the powerplay overs.
The middle order saw useful contributions from several batsmen. Shivam Singh made 34 runs from 24 balls, while R K Jayant scored a quick 25 off 15 deliveries.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless
medalmerit
Learn More
Undo
Hunny Saini added 35 runs from 28 balls, and Vimal Khumar also played a supporting role before the dramatic final over.
In the first innings, after winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Ashwin demonstrated his bowling prowess by taking three crucial wickets while conceding only 22 runs in his four-over spell. He claimed his first wicket in the opening over and later dismissed Sunny Sandhu (25 off 14 balls) and Rajendra Vivek (35 off 20 balls).
Salem Spartans posted a competitive total of 188 for 7, largely due to Nidhish Rajagopal's impressive innings of 74 runs from 47 balls. The Spartans' top order struggled to make an impact, but Rajagopal's knock helped them set a challenging target.
The victory marked Dindigul Dragons' third win in five matches of TNPL 2025, elevating them to the third position on the points table. The team's upcoming matches against Nellai Royal Kings on June 26 and Trichy Grand Cholas on June 29 will be crucial for their playoff aspirations.
Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Imran Khan wasn't talented ... used to shout at us': Wasim Akram spills the beans
Wasim Akram and Imran Khan NEW DELHI: Pakistan pace legend Wasim Akram has opened up on what it was like to play under Imran Khan , calling the 1992 World Cup-winning skipper the greatest captain he ever played with. Akram, who began his international career in the mid-1980s, credited Imran for shaping him not only as a cricketer but also as a professional. Reflecting on his early days with Pakistan, Akram said much of his development came under Imran's guidance. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "I think whatever I did as a cricketer, off the field, on the field, credit goes to him. He used to give us a lot of confidence. He led from the front. He had a belief in his own ability. He was a hardworking cricketer," Akram said on Stick to Cricket. While many considered Imran a naturally gifted player, Akram stressed that his success was built on relentless effort. "People used to say I'm very naturally talented. Skipper wasn't talented. He worked hard. Remember he changed his bowling action. From 76, exactly. Changing even a little bit of action can take months, it might not happen. But he did change his action. He was so determined," Akram said. Akram emphasised that Imran's determination and willingness to reinvent himself set an example for the entire team. His hard work, according to Akram, created a culture where no one could afford to be complacent. "I mean he was the best captain I played under. He used to give confidence to every one of us," Akram noted. Poll Who do you believe is the greatest cricket captain in history? Imran Khan Kapil Dev Steve Waugh Clive Lloyd At the same time, Imran was known to be tough on his players when required. Akram explained that the former skipper demanded full commitment on the field. "At times he used to shout at us because if you were lazy, fair enough. He was tough, but he was tough on the field. You give your 100%. If you don't do well, he was okay with it," he said. However, Imran could not tolerate players who tried to shield themselves in pressure situations. "If you're trying to save yourself and say okay, it's a pressure situation, I'll just take a back seat — he used to judge. He knew this particular player is just saving himself. So that used to annoy him a lot," Akram revealed. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Salah makes history with third PFA player of the year award
became the first player to win the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) men's player of the year for a third time on Tuesday after guiding Liverpool to Premier League glory. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Egyptian scored 29 goals and provided 18 assists to propel the Reds to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title with four games to spare last season. Salah also scooped the award in the 2017/18 and 2021/22 seasons. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The 33-year-old picked up the Writers' Association and Premier League player of the year awards in recent months. Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers won young player the year following a breakthrough campaign that saw the attacking midfielder make his senior international debut for England. Salah is joined in the 2024/25 PFA Premier League team of the year by Liverpool team-mates Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister. Milos Kerkez, who moved to Anfield from Bournemouth in June, is also selected, as are the Arsenal trio of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice. Matz Sels and Chris Wood are recognised for their fine campaigns at Nottingham Forest, while wantaway Newcastle striker Alexander Isak is included after finishing second to Salah in the Golden Boot race. Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey won the women's player of the year accolade after her role in helping the Gunners win the Champions League. The Spanish midfielder scored 19 goals in all competitions, including eight in the Champions League, in her first season in England. Olivia Smith recently joined Caldentey at Arsenal in a world-record £1 million ($1.4 million) deal and won the women's young player of the year prize following her superb season at Liverpool.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'Axar Patel deserves an explanation for removal from vice-captaincy': Ex-India star slams decision
Axar Patel (BCCI Photo) NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer and commentator Mohammad Kaif has raised concerns over Axar Patel losing the vice-captaincy of the Indian T20I side, with Shubman Gill taking over the role. Patel, who was named deputy to Suryakumar Yadav for the five-match series against England earlier this year, was replaced following Gill's return to T20Is after a year-long absence. Taking to social media, Kaif questioned the manner in which the change was handled. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "I hope Axar Patel was informed about his removal from vice-captaincy in advance and he didn't come to know about it from the press conference. Axar did no wrong so he deserves an explanation," Kaif posted. Patel has cemented his place as a dependable all-rounder across formats, making key contributions in India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. He was named Player of the Match in the semi-final against England for his spell of 3/23. In the final against South Africa, Patel played another pivotal role, scoring 47 off 31 balls when India were reeling at 34/3, and later dismissing Tristan Stubbs to tilt the game in India's favor. Overall, Patel's T20I record highlights his consistency — 531 runs at a strike rate of 139.32, along with 71 wickets at an average of 22.12 from 71 matches. India Asia Cup squad press conference: What Ajit Agarkar, Surya said on shocking calls For the upcoming Asia Cup , India's selectors have included two other spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, in the squad. Among the notable exclusions are Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal. India will open their Asia Cup campaign against hosts UAE on September 10. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
