Mysuru Warriors Triumph Over Bengaluru Blasters in Maharaja Trophy Opener

Mysuru Warriors Secure Victory in Thrilling Match

Mysuru (Karnataka) [India], August 12: In an exciting start to the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20, the Mysuru Warriors claimed a remarkable 39-run victory against the Bengaluru Blasters at the Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Stadium on Monday. The standout performances came from Manish Pandey and Sumit Kumar, whose unbeaten partnership of 86 runs, along with LR Kumar's impressive three-wicket haul, propelled the defending champions to success.

The Blasters, chasing a challenging target of 180, were bowled out for 141 runs in just 19.1 overs. Their captain, Mayank Agarawal, scored a commendable 66 runs off 49 balls, but his efforts were ultimately in vain. Mysuru's bowlers, particularly LR Kumar and Karthik CA, dismantled the Blasters' batting lineup, with Kumar taking the first wicket by catching Chethan (8) and Karthik dismissing Rohan Patil (10). The Blasters found themselves in a precarious position at 22 for 3 within the first four overs.

Despite a brief recovery attempt by Agarawal and Shubhang, who added 32 runs together, K Gowtham's bowling proved decisive as he took Hegde's wicket. Gowtham continued to shine, claiming Suraj Ahuja's wicket, while Shikar Shetty and M Venkatesh also contributed to the Blasters' downfall.

With Agarawal still at the crease, there was a glimmer of hope for the Blasters, but the mounting pressure and a declining run rate led to their eventual collapse. The tail-enders fell quickly, and Agarawal was dismissed in the 19th over.

Choosing to bat first, Mysuru's skipper Manish Pandey delivered a stellar performance, scoring an unbeaten 58 runs off 29 balls, helping his team set a formidable total of 180 for five. His innings was characterized by a blend of aggression and composure, featuring four boundaries and four sixes.

Sumit Kumar supported Pandey well, finishing with 44 runs and benefiting from two dropped catches. Together, they formed a crucial sixth-wicket partnership that steadied the innings after early wickets fell. Mysuru's innings saw early dismissals, including SU Karthik (3) and Codanda Ajit Karthik (13), but the partnership between Muralidhara Venkatesh and Harshil Dharmani provided some stability before the Blasters' bowlers struck again.

Ultimately, Pandey and Kumar's resilience ensured that Mysuru Warriors reached a commanding total, setting the stage for their victory.

Brief Scores: Mysuru Warriors 180/5 in 20 overs (Manish Pandey 58*, Sumit Kumar 44*; Shubhang Hegde 3/23) vs Bengaluru Blasters 141/10 in 19.2 overs (Mayank Agarawal 66, Vidyadhar Patil 16, Kumar LR 3/27).