Match 13, Salem, June 15, 2025, 07:15 PM
SKM Salem Spartans
126/9(20.0ov)
Nellai Royal Kings
130/2(13.4ov)
Nellai Royal Kings beat SKM Salem Spartans by 8 wickets
With this win, Nellai climb to fourth spot with two wins from three games, while Salem remain in second place with three wins from four matches. However, their net run rate has taken a hit. Earlier in the day, Tiruppur cruised to victory in the afternoon clash, handing Trichy their third straight defeat. At the end of 13 games, Chepauk Super Gillies stand as the only unbeaten team in the competition. They will be in action on Monday, 16th June, when they take on the Dindigul Dragons here in Salem. The first ball will be bowled at 7.15 pm IST (1.45 pm GMT). See you then. Cheers!
Sachin Rathi is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his outstanding bowling performance. He says that he is feeling good with today’s performance, and he just tries to stick to what his captain says and the strategies that they make before the game. Adds that there was no definite plan and just looked to bowl in good areas, and he is overall happy that he was able to do it.
Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Salem got going with a 62-run opening stand, with Hari Nishaanth being the aggressor of the two openers. It all quickly went downhill once Hari was dismissed. From 62/0, it was a collapse of epic proportions as Salem slipped to 76/7 in no time. A few vital runs from M Mohammed helped them limp to 126. Left-arm spinner, Sachin Rathi, triggered the collapse and had quite a night. He finished with figures of 4-0-17-5, with all five scalps coming in the space of just 11 balls.
Defending a modest total, Salem desperately needed early wickets to stay in the contest but Nellai's impact substitute, Santhosh Kumar D, dashed their hopes with some exquisite strokeplay. He took the attack to the bowlers and shut the door on any chance of a comeback. While he could not stay until the end, Rithik Easwaran and Nirmal Kumar ensured they guided Nellai home with 6.2 overs to spare, giving their net run rate a healthy boost in the process.
An emphatic win for the Nellai Royal Kings and a job well done. Arun Karthik will be pleased with the way his side bounced back after a tough defeat in the previous game. The Spartans never really recovered from the dramatic collapse they suffered earlier in the evening and have been handed their first loss of the season.
In over# 14
6
4
1
4
S Harish Kumar 26/0(1.4)
13.4
6
SIX! THERE IT IS! GAME, SET, AND MATCH! Nellai Royal Kings win by 8 wickets, and this is a thumping win which will boost their net run rate. Serves it on a length and on middle, Rithik Easwaran clears out his front leg away, gets underneath it, and slogs it across over the wide long on fence for a biggie to seal the deal.
13.3
4
FOUR! THUMPED! A bit fuller and outside off, right in the slot to be precise, Rithik Easwaran comes forward a bit and lofts it over the mid off fielder for a boundary. Nellai are just one hit away now!
13.2
1
DROPPED! Another chance goes down! A slower one, on a length and around off, Nirmal looks to heave it across to the leg side but gets a big leading edge. The ball flies up towards backward point, where the fielder backtracks and extends both his arms in the end to take it, but the ball pops out of his hands.
13.1
4
FOUR! PIERCES THE GAP! A slower length ball, just outside off, Nirmal Kumar waits for the ball to arrive and opens bat face very late. He beats the backward point fielder to his left and gets a boundary.
In over# 13
0
1lb
0
0
1
1
M Mohammed 24/0(2)
12.6
.
Slower and on a back of a length, outside off, Rithik Easwaran looks to cut it hard but misses. Nellai Royal Kings need only 12 now!
12.5
1lb
Leg bye! An off-cutter, on a length and around leg, Nirmal Kumar misses his flick shot and the ball clips his front pad and rolls away towards square leg. They take a leg bye.
12.4
.
A yorker, and outside off, Nirmal Kumar fails it dig it out.
12.3
.
An appeal for LBW, but the umpire is unmoved! However, SKM Salem Spartans have taken a review, out of desperation only! A slower length delivery, around middle, Nirmal Kumar looks to play out to the leg side with an open bat face, but gets beaten on the inside edge. Gets hit on the front pad, and the third umpire is called in. No bat involved, and Ball Tracking shows it would have missed the leg stump. Spartans have burnt another review!
12.2
1
Short of a length, around off, Rithik Easwaran stands tall and pulls it down along the ground to deep mid-wicket for one more.
12.1
1
On a length and around off, Nirmal Kumar lifts his front leg, swivels on his toes and swipes it to deep square leg for one.
In over# 12
1
4
1
0
1
1
M Poiyamozhi 28/1(4)
11.6
1
Low full toss, on the stumps. Nirmal Kumar drills it to long off for a single. Nellai Royal Kings need only 15 runs now.