Shahrukh Khan’s 18-ball 59 drives Vida Kovai Kings to DLS victory over Dindigul Dragons in TNPL-10

M. Shahrukh Khan struck an unbeaten 18-ball 59 to guide Vida Kovai Kings to an 85-run DLS victory over Dindigul Dragons at the MAC Stadium in the Tamil Nadu Premier League on Friday. The result came in a must-win final league game for the Kovai Kings.

Shahrukh, who had struggled through the first six matches of TNPL-10, produced a sudden onslaught, finishing 59 not out off 18 balls with four fours and six sixes. The 31-year-old accelerated late, scoring 75 runs in the remaining 3.5 overs of the innings according to the match report, and his hitting included a pull over midwicket off legspinner Nirankar Sharma, a 23-run over against Sandeep Warrier and three successive sixes off pacer S. Karuppasamy that took him past his half-century.

Kovai Kings had begun briskly, with openers S. Radhakrishnan and S. Lokeshwar putting on 56 in the PowerPlay before the side were 96 for three in 12.1 overs when rain halted play for 75 minutes. After the stoppage the contest was reported to be truncated to 16 overs per side, while the published scorecard lists Vida Kovai Kings 171 for three.

Dindigul Dragons’ chase faltered immediately when opener Shivam Singh fell to the first delivery, and the visitors never recovered. Left-arm spinner M. Siddharth took two wickets in the fourth over and Jhathavedh Subramanyan claimed three strikes in the eighth over to leave Dragons 59 for six, with the innings ending at 93 for nine in 13.2 overs by the DLS method; the scorecard records Siddharth with 2/21 and Jhathavedh with 4/12.

The match scoreline in the published summary reads: Vida Kovai Kings 171 for three in 20 overs (S. Lokeshwar 31, B. Sachin 30 not out, M. Shahrukh Khan 59 not out) beat Dindigul Dragons 93 for nine in 13.2 overs (M. Siddharth 2/21, Jhathavedh Subramanyan 4/12) by DLS method. Those figures accompany the match report detailing the rain interruption and the late flurry of scoring that defined the Kovai innings.

Elsewhere on the evening, Trichy Grand Cholas became the first team to secure a place in the playoffs, moving to the top of the table with 10 points after a 14-run victory over Chepauk Super Gillies. Opting to bat, Grand Cholas made 191 for seven, propelled by half-centuries from S. Shyam Sundar (52) and Sanjay Yadav (54), while Swapnil Singh returned 2/21 and M. Silambarasan 3/43; Chepauk were bowled out to 177 for six with K. Aashiq scoring 75 off 41 balls (11 fours, 2 sixes) and Ram Arvindh making 32, and Easwaran taking 2/28.

Saturday’s scheduled fixtures are iDream Tiruppur Tamizhans versus SKM Salem Spartans at 3.30 p.m., followed by Nellai Royal Kings against Madurai Panthers at 7.30 p.m. These matches follow the packed final league schedule in TNPL-10 and will influence the remaining qualification scenarios.