Jagadeesan steers Chepauk Super Gillies to five-wicket TNPL win over Salem Spartans

Chepauk Super Gillies defeated SKM Salem Spartans by five wickets while chasing 183 at the NPR College ground in Dindigul on Wednesday in a Tamil Nadu Premier League fixture, with captain N. Jagadeesan driving the run chase.

With their TNPL campaign under pressure, the Super Gillies produced a timely victory to arrest a slide and hand Salem a fourth straight loss; the result moved Chepauk off a worrying run of results and provided immediate momentum for the side.

Sent in by Chepauk, Salem were reduced to 84 for six in the 12th over before a late recovery. Harish Kumar compiled 57 not out off 35 balls with 1 four and 6 sixes, and M. Eshwar contributed 39 off 20 deliveries, their seventh-wicket partnership adding 69 runs and lifting the innings to 182 for seven after Harish hit 26 in the final over. Boopathi Vaishna Kumar made 30 for Salem.

Chepauk lost opener Mokit Hariharan in the first over, but captain N. Jagadeesan shifted the chase into higher gear. Jagadeesan scored 78 off 39 balls with 5 fours and 6 sixes, striking three sixes early in his knock before forming a 60-run third-wicket stand with Ram Arvindh, who made 26. That partnership ended following a disputed "yes-no" call, and Rahil Shah later broke through in the 13th over.

The lower order completed the chase after Jagadeesan’s exit. Swapnil Singh struck 45 off 26 balls with 1 four and 5 sixes, and Mohana Prasath finished unbeaten on 16 from 9 balls with 1 four and 1 six; the pair hammered 18 off the 16th over, including a six from Swapnil off M. Uday Kumar, who finished with figures of 2 for 31. Chepauk reached 186 for 5 in 16.4 overs, sealing the win with 20 balls to spare.

Elsewhere, Madurai Panthers recorded their fourth straight victory, powered by R. Ramkumar’s 15-ball 40 (3 fours, 4 sixes) and Rohan Bhutra’s bowling return of 4-0-23-2. Madurai posted 171 for 7 in 18 overs — N.S. Chaturved added 42 — and Dindigul Dragons managed 150 for 6 in 18 overs with Shivam Singh scoring 40.

The TNPL schedule continues on Thursday, with Vida Kovai Kings facing Nellai Royal Kings at 3:30 p.m. and Trichy Grand Cholas taking on iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans at 7:30 p.m.