Lokeshwar, Deeban steer Vida Kovai Kings into TNPL final

Vida Kovai Kings defeated Trichy Grand Cholas by 84 runs in Qualifier 2 of TNPL-10 at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday, with S. Lokeshwar’s 66 and K. Deeban Lingesh’s hat-trick central to the victory.

Kovai posted 183 for five in their 20 overs, anchored by a 104-run opening partnership between S. Lokeshwar and S. Radhakrishnan (48). Lokeshwar was dropped on seven and Radhakrishnan on 26, and the Grand Cholas conceded an additional boundary through a misfield later in the innings. Radhakrishnan attacked pacer P. Saravana Kumar while Lokeshwar repeatedly used his feet against the spinners to reach his seventh TNPL fifty from 29 balls (66, 44b, 8x4, 1x6). Medium-pacer R. Rajkumar took three wickets (three for 29) and held a sharp catch in the deep, and skipper Shahrukh Khan added a late 34 off 18 balls.

Trichy’s reply collapsed immediately when medium-pacer K. Deeban Lingesh struck with a hat-trick, taking the first three balls of his spell: K. Rajkumar edged behind, S. Shyam Sundar edged to slip, and J. Kousik was bowled; Deeban’s opening over was a maiden.

Left-arm spinner M. Siddharth then removed Sanjay Yadav (1) caught behind and Jafar Jamal bowled with an arm-ball in successive deliveries in the fourth over, leaving the visitors seven for five after 21 balls. Siddharth later dismissed R. Rajkumar (7) and Antony Dhas (6) to finish with the best bowling figures of the season, four for 11.

Trichy Grand Cholas were all out for 99 in 15.4 overs as Kovai secured an 84-run victory. K. Deeban Lingesh finished with three for 14 and R. Divakar (Impact Player) returned two for 14.

The scores: Vida Kovai Kings 183/5 in 20 overs (S. Radhakrishnan 48, S. Lokeshwar 66, Shahrukh Khan 34, R. Rajkumar 3/29) bt Trichy Grand Cholas 99 in 15.4 overs (J. Suresh Kumar 48, K. Deeban Lingesh 3/14, M. Siddharth 4/11, R. Divakar (Impact Player) 2/14).

Friday’s final: Madurai Panthers vs. Vida Kovai Kings, 7.30 p.m.