Match 9, Salem, June 13, 2025, 07:15 PM
IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans
177/8(20.0ov)
SKM Salem Spartans
178/6(19.5ov)
SKM Salem Spartans beat IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans by 4 wickets
Best Batsmen
R
B
4S
6S
SR
Best Bowler
O
R
W
Econ
Man of the Match
S Harish Kumar
Commentry
Right then, an entertaining game to kickstart the Salem leg and with this win, SKM Salem Spartans climb to the top of the table. The weekend action in the 2025 Tamil Nadu Premier League ramps up with a doubleheader here in Salem on Saturday, 14th June. The first game of the day will see the Chepauk Super Gillies go up against the Lyca Kovai Kings at 3.15 pm IST (9.45 am GMT). Later in the evening, the Dindigul Dragons will lock horns with the Siechem Madurai Panthers at 7.15 pm IST (1.45 pm GMT). As always, our build-up for both games will kick off well in advance. Until then, take care and goodbye!
S Harish Kumar is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for keeping his calm and taking the side over the line with an unbeaten 23 off 12 balls. He also chipped in with the ball, picking up a wicket, though he was on the expensive side.
Time for the presentation....
Earlier in the game, after being inserted to bat, Tushar Raheja set the tone for Tiruppur with a sparkling 74. At the halfway mark, they looked in a strong position at 103 for 2. However, the next 10 overs saw Salem claw their way back into the contest, with their pacers smartly using off-pace deliveries to great effect. Tiruppur managed only 74 runs in the final 10 overs while losing 6 wickets, finishing on 177. It felt like they left a few runs out there, a shortfall that ultimately came back to haunt them.
But the game had one final twist. Boopathi Kumar and S Harish Kumar staged a late fightback, bringing the equation down to 31 needed off the last two overs. The penultimate over was handed to Esakkimuthu A and the pressure clearly got to him as he bowled four no balls in succession. Yes, you read that right. Three for overstepping and one for a full toss above waist height. That over proved costly, leaving just 5 runs for T Natarajan to defend in the final over. Even for a death overs specialist like him, it was too little to work with.
Chasing 178, Salem’s openers failed to make an impact, leading to a subdued start in the Powerplay. Nidhish Rajagopal and R Kavin then came together to steady the innings and get the chase on track, but their partnership couldn’t shift gears, largely due to disciplined bowling from Tiruppur. After Kavin's dismissal, Nidhish took it upon himself to accelerate. A 17-run over injected fresh life into the chase, but his dismissal in the very next over was a setback, and at that point, it looked like Tiruppur had the upper hand.
What a game! It was a see-saw battle right till the end, but SKM Salem Spartans held their nerve to clinch victory and register their third win on the trot. IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans will be gutted with the result, especially after being in control for large parts of the defence. But they were left to rue a string of missed opportunities, with multiple catches going down. In a game of fine margins, those lapses proved decisive.
In over# 20
2
1
1
1wd
0
1
T Natarajan 28/2(3.5)
19.5
2
SKM Salem Spartans have won a tough game with so many ups and downs filled in it, but they finally managed to snatch a victory out of IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans' hands. Back-of-a-length delivery, outside off and a slower one, S Harish Kumar extends his arms and lofts it. He mistimes it but gets it enough to clear the extra cover fielder. They run two quickly to take their team over the line. SKM Salem Spartans win by four wickets!
19.4
1
A well-directed yorker around middle, Boopathi Kumar drills it towards mid off and takes a quick single. 2 needed from 2 for Salem.
19.3
1
DROPPED! But it is very harsh to put it in this way. A low full toss and around middle, S Harish Kumar lofts it off the bottom part of the bat. The ball goes flat towards deep mid-wicket, where Daryl Ferrario covers good ground in front of him and dives in the end to take this catch, but fails to pouch it. A single taken and they need 3 runs.
19.3
1wd
WIDE! DRAMA! A bouncer and around the left shoulder of the batter, a slower one again, S Harish Kumar looks to pull it down but misses. The ball goes over the head of the batter and it is called a wide. The skipper of IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans, Sai Kishore, challenges this decision and takes a review. But the third umpire checks the replays, and it has gone well over the head of the batter. Clearly a wide!
19.2
.
Hard length and outside off, a slower one, S Harish Kumar tries to fetch it out with a pull shot but misses.
19.1
1
Starts off with a searing yorker, outside off, Boopathi Kumar manages to bring his bat down and squeezes it towards backward point. Takes a quick single, and they need 5 runs now. IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans have been penalised for a slow over rate and they are allowed only 4 fielders outside the 30-yard circle.
In over# 19
0
1nb
2nb
3nb
2nb
6
4
4lb
2
1
Esakkimuthu A 53/0(4)
18.6
.
Finally Esakkimuthu A gets it right! Back of a length and outside off, S Harish Kumar misses his pull shot as it seems to be a slower one. 25 runs have come off this 10-ball over, and it is Salem's game to lose from here.
18.6
1nb
Oopsie! Esakkimuthu A has bowled a beamer on middle. S Harish Kumar has ducked underneath it. Called another NO BALL and the FREE-HIT will continue!
18.6
2nb
Fuller again and outside off, Boopathi Kumar drills it to long on and takes a single. Uh, oh, it goes from bad to worse for Esakkimuthu A as he has overstepped for the third ball in a row. Called another NO BALL. Free Hit continues!
18.6
3nb
Much fuller and around off, Boopathi Kumar whips it towards wide long on and takes the first one very quickly. He calls for the second one and the fielder there gets to the ball but makes a wide throw to the keeper, which allows the batter to complete the second run easily. Oh, no, Esakkimuthu A has again overstepped and it is called another NO BALL!. Free Hit will continue!