KCL 2026: No. 11 batter hits 16 off 3 as Thrissur Titans advance to maiden Kerala Cricket League Final

Thrissur Titans produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the Kerala Cricket League 2026 season, edging past Trivandrum Royals by one wicket in the first semifinal at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.

At the centre of the Titans' remarkable victory was their no. 11 batter Anand Joseph, who transformed a seemingly lost chase with a sensational three-ball assault in the final over.

Chasing 164, Thrissur were reduced to 149/9 after 19 overs and needed 15 runs from the last six deliveries.

Joseph walked in with the Titans on the brink of elimination and delivered under immense pressure. After a wide from Akshay Chandran, Joseph smashed a six, followed it with a boundary and then launched another six to complete the chase with one ball remaining. He finished unbeaten on 16 from just three balls, striking at an extraordinary 533.33.

The all-rounder had already made a significant contribution with the ball. Opening the bowling attack for Thrissur, Joseph claimed two wickets for 31 runs from his four overs, dismissing Vishnu Vinod and Trivandrum captain Krishna Prasad. His spell helped keep the Royals from posting an even bigger total.

Trivandrum Royals had posted 163/5 after being asked to bat first. Their innings initially struggled for momentum as wickets fell regularly, leaving them at 93/5. However, Akshay Manohar changed the complexion of the innings with an unbeaten 53 off 26 balls, while Nikhil Malik contributed an unbeaten 28 from 15 deliveries. The pair added valuable late runs to take the Royals to a competitive total.

Thrissur's chase was led by Ahammed Imran, who scored 43 off 35 balls, while Shoun Roger, Nikhil Thottath and captain MS Akhil also made useful contributions. Yet regular wickets left the Titans requiring an improbable 15 from the final over.

Joseph ensured there was no final-over heartbreak for Thrissur this time.

His extraordinary cameo not only sealed a one-wicket victory, but also earned him the Player of the Match award. More importantly, the result takes Thrissur Titans into their maiden Kerala Cricket League final as the Titans will now face the winner of the second semifinal between Alleppey Ripples and Calicut Globstars in the final