Kolhapur Tuskers Secure Playoffs Spot with Convincing Win Over CSK
Pune, June 22, 2023: In a spectacular display of cricketing prowess, the Kolhapur Tuskers emerged victorious over the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings by 8 wickets, securing their spot in the playoffs of the Shriram Capital Maharashtra Premier League (MPL). The match took place at the MCA International Stadium on Thursday afternoon and saw Kolhapur dominate the game from start to finish.
With this win, Kolhapur Tuskers now have six points in their kitty, having won three out of their four matches (P4, W3, L1) with a net run rate of +0.474. They currently sit in third place in the league table, with the Eagle Nashik Titans (+1.000) and Ratnagiri Jets (+0.590) leading the pack in terms of net run rate. On the other hand, the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings, who are yet to secure a victory after four games, have no chance of making it to the playoffs and will face the Solapur Royals in their final match.
The match on Thursday was completely one-sided, with Kolhapur firmly in control throughout. They bowled out the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar team for a mere 101 runs in 19.4 overs and effortlessly chased down the target, losing only two wickets in just 14 overs.
Kolhapur’s stand-in captain, Nausad Shaikh, won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that proved to be spot-on on a challenging pitch. Left-arm pacer Atman Pore (1 for 25 in 4 overs) struck on the very first ball of the match, dismissing Saurabh Nawale for a golden duck. In the next over, Nihal Tusamad (1 for 4 in 2 overs) sent back Onkar Khatpe (0 off 2 balls) to the pavilion.
CSK’s batting lineup struggled to make an impact, with only three batsmen managing to reach double digits. Om Bhosale top-scored with 22 runs off 22 balls, followed by Murtuza Trunkwala with 32 runs off 36 balls and Anand Thenge with 18 runs off 18 balls. The rest of the batsmen failed to make significant contributions as they were dismantled by the trio of Shreyas Chavan (4 for 20 in 4 overs), Akshay Darekar (2 for 12 in 4 overs), and Siddharth Mhatre (2 for 8 in 2.4 overs).
Shreyas Chavan was the pick of the bowlers, consistently taking wickets throughout his spell. He accounted for the dismissals of Bhosale, Ranjit Nikam (6 off 8 balls), Harshal Kate (5 off 6 balls), and CSK captain Rajvardhan Hangargekar (7 off 6 balls). With regular breakthroughs, Chavan kept the pressure on the opposition, and CSK found themselves struggling at 79 for 9 after 16 overs. However, some late strikes by Anand Thenge helped them reach a total of 101 runs.
Chasing a modest target, Kolhapur got off to a confident start with Kedar Jadhav (15 off 12 balls) joining the team as an impact player. Alongside Ankit Bawne (37 off 33 balls), Jadhav displayed his intent to finish the game quickly. However, he was bowled by Hitesh Walunj (1 for 22 in 4 overs) in the fourth over.
After Jadhav’s departure, Naushad Shaikh (28 off 24 balls) and Bawne ensured a smooth run chase, guiding Kolhapur closer to victory. Bawne fell victim to a deceptive delivery by Tanesh Jain (1 for 22 in 3 overs) that spun away and hit the off stump. Sahil Autade (22 off 15 balls) then joined Shaikh, and together they steered Kolhapur to a comfortable win without any hiccups.
In summary, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings were bowled out for 101 runs, with Kolhapur Tuskers chasing down the target in just 14 overs, finishing at 102 for 2. Ankit Bawne top-scored for Kolhapur with 37 runs, while Shreyas Chavan’s brilliant bowling performance of 4 for 20 played a crucial role in restricting CSK to a low total. With this comprehensive victory, Kolhapur Tuskers have firmly secured their place in the MPL playoffs.
Brief scores: Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings: 101 all out in 19.4 overs (Murtuza Trunkwala 32, Om Bhosale 22; Shreyas Chavan 4-20) lost to Kolhapur Tuskers: 102 for 2 in 14 overs (Ankit Bawne 37, Naushad Shaikh 28; Hitesh Walunj 1-22, Tanesh Jain 1-22) by 8 wickets.
