KPL 2018: Rajoo Bhatkal powers Mysuru Warrios to win

Mysuru, August 28: Mysuru Warriors, backed by their vociferous home supporters, made light work of the target set by Shivamogga Lions in a KPL 2018 game at the SDNR Wadiyar stadium here on Tuesday (August 28).

Set 147 to get after they had bowled out Shivamogga for 146, the home side, led by a blistering 99-run opening stand (69 balls) between the left-right pair of Arjun Hoysala (40, 28b, 3x4, 2x6) and Rajoo Bhatkal (59, 45b, 8x4), made it all look ridiculously easy to win by six wickets and as many as 16 balls to spare.

Had their catching been better they wouldn't have had even that much to chase. The Mysuru fielders put down as many as four possible catches, at least a couple of them being straightforward ones. But then Shivamogga Lions simply refused to take advantage of those chances, with batsman after batsman getting out promptly after being dropped.

Arjun Hoysala and Rajoo Bhatkal of the Mysuru Warriors on their brilliant partnership! #NammaKPL #KPL2018 #BisiBisiCrickettu #MysuruVsShivamogga pic.twitter.com/OK0iBdtde1

— Namma KPL (@KPLKSCA) August 28, 2018

All that left Shivamogga well short of a competitive total. Even that total was owed to a late assault by Aditya Somanna, who came in at number seven, ahead of Abhimanyu Mithun, who made himself available for the KPL in the midst of his Duleep Trophy engagements. Somanna, one of the very few batsmen not to be let off by the Mysuru fielders, slammed a crucial 20-ball unbeaten 39 (4x4, 2x6).

The only other batsman to make a mark was opener BR Sharath, who got Shivammoga off to just the start they had envisaged when they elected to bat. His 32-ball 46 (7x4, 1x6) provided a solid foundation but save for Somanna and to some extent R Jonathan (29, 26b, 3x4, 1x6), no Shivamogga batsman capitalized.

Way to go Rajoo Bhatkal of the @MysuruWarriors! #NammaKPL #KPL2018 #BisiBisiCrickettu #MysuruVsShivamogga pic.twitter.com/TO8rYeJEH0

— Namma KPL (@KPLKSCA) August 28, 2018

The Mysuru openers certainly did. If it was the right-handed Bhatkal, who started with two fours off Mithun's opening over, Aditya, who had a let off when on five, albeit a tough chance to wicketkeeper Nihal Unni, then helped himself to a six over long-leg when Somanna sprayed the ball around.

The duo, who didn't allow any bowler to settle down, pacer or spinner, fell within three runs off each other but they had ensured that the team's second win from three games was a foregone conclusion.

Brief scores: Shivamogga Lions: 146 all out in 20 overs (BR Sharath 46, R Jonathan 29, Aditya Somanna 39 n.o.; Vyshak Vijaykumar 2-36, Kushal Wadhwani 2-15) lost to Mysuru Warriors: 147/4 in 17.2 overs (Arjun Hoysala 40, Rajoo Bhatkal 59) by six wickets.

Wednesday's match (August 29,) - Shivamogga Lions vs Belagavi Panthers, 6.40 pm, SNDR Wadiyar Stadium, Mysuru.

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