WATCH: R Ashwin endures rollercoaster of emotions as Varun Chakravarthy pulls off thrilling victory in TNPL
R Ashwin witnessed his Dindigul Dragons side come through in dramatic fashion in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. (Image: X/Screenshots)
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.
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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.
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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.
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