Gwalior Cheetahs Secure First Win in Madhya Pradesh League T20 2025

Gwalior Cheetahs Triumph Over Jabalpur Royal Lions

Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 17: In a thrilling encounter at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Stadium, the Gwalior Cheetahs achieved their inaugural victory in the Madhya Pradesh League T20 2025, defeating the Jabalpur Royal Lions by 15 runs in Match 9.

Choosing to bat first, Gwalior Cheetahs' captain Parth Sahani witnessed his team struggle early on, finding themselves at 47/3 and later 80/4. However, Rishabh Chouhan emerged as a standout performer, scoring an impressive unbeaten 93 runs off just 47 deliveries, which featured six fours and six sixes. His remarkable innings propelled the Cheetahs to a formidable total of 191/5 in their allotted 20 overs.

In their chase, the Jabalpur Royal Lions started strong, thanks to a solid partnership between Siddharth Patidar (44 runs off 33 balls) and Abhishek Bhandari (53 runs off 35 balls), who combined for 79 runs. Unfortunately, after Siddharth's dismissal, the Lions faced a dramatic collapse, losing wickets consistently.

Mangesh Yadav was instrumental in securing the win for Gwalior Cheetahs, delivering a match-winning bowling performance with figures of 4/23, including a crucial 19th over that helped clinch the victory. The Jabalpur Royal Lions ultimately finished their innings at 176/7, falling short by 15 runs.

This victory marks a significant milestone for the Gwalior Cheetahs in the league standings, while the Jabalpur Royal Lions, following a washed-out opener and two consecutive losses, are still in search of their first win this season.

After the match, Gwalior Cheetahs' captain Parth Sahani expressed his satisfaction, stating, "The morale was already good, and now it’s even better because the first win is always important. That win brings momentum, and it was essential to get on the points table early since we only have six league games. Every match has to be treated like a do-or-die game."

He highlighted the key moments of the match, saying, "The turning point was definitely Rishabh’s innings. After that, Vishnu’s bowling and fielding were outstanding, and then Mangesh’s 19th over, which is always crucial in T20s, was important. These phases helped us stay in the match and get over the line."

Looking forward, he stressed the importance of maintaining composure and discipline. "We’ll carry the momentum by sticking to the basics. There’s no need to panic, just keep playing with a calm and composed mindset," Sahani added.

He also shared the encouraging words from Rajat Patidar after their earlier defeats: "Rajat Bhai was positive after our early losses. He said our batting is good; we just need to express ourselves freely on the field," he mentioned.

With this performance, the Gwalior Cheetahs aim to establish consistency, while the Jabalpur Royal Lions will seek to rebound in their upcoming matches.