Siechem Madurai Panthers vs Nellai Royal Kings Live Score, Match 28 of Tamil Nadu Premier League, 2026

Playoffs time - And then, there were four! Siechem Madurai Panthers, Trichy Grand Cholas, Vida Kovai Kings and Idream Tiruppur Tamizhans have booked their places in the TNPL 2026 playoffs. The Panthers and Grand Cholas will face off in Qualifier 1 here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, August 23, with the winner going straight through to the final. The loser will have another chance, taking on the winner of the Eliminator between Kovai Kings and Tamizhans on Monday, August 24. Both matches begin at 2 pm GMT (7.30 PM IST), and you can join us early for all the build-up and coverage. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Spin to win - Siechem Madurai Panthers went with spin early and the tactic worked brilliantly. Shoaib Md Khan struck twice to set the tone, while P Vignesh added another wicket in the Powerplay. The spinners then kept the squeeze on through the middle overs, denying Nellai any easy runs, before Gurjapneet Singh and Ganeshan Periyaswamy finished things off with two wickets each at the death. The Kings also did themselves no favours with poor shot selection and some costly running between the wickets, and the Panthers made them pay big time.

Panthers finish strong - Earlier in the game, Siechem Madurai Panthers overcame three early wickets to post a strong total, with V Hari Ragavendra and Shoaib Md Khan adding 60 before Khan's half-century and Atheeq Rahman's late 27-ball fifty helped them finish strongly. Apart from Emmanuel Cherian's three Powerplay wickets, Nellai Royal Kings struggled to contain the Panthers, conceding 51 runs in the final three overs and setting up a challenging chase.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Shoaib Md Khan wins the award for his all-round brilliance. He scored 50* off 27 balls with the bat and picked up 3/20(3) with the ball, while also taking one catch in the field. He says he kept believing in himself despite not having the best start to the league phase. He credits the management, support staff and head coach KB Arun Karthick for continuing to back him, and says he is happy to contribute to the team's success. On his role, Shoaib says he was picked as an all-rounder, offering off-spin and batting. He says his job was to take the innings deep if early wickets fell, while with the ball, he aimed to remain economical and particularly looked to pick up wickets against left-handers. Reflecting on his experience of playing in the TNPL, Khan says Tamil Nadu feels more like home than a second home. He adds that he loves playing in Chennai and has been fortunate to produce several performances in Tamil Nadu, making the experience particularly special for him.

Nellai lose their way at the end - Nellai Royal Kings had a similar start to the Panthers, losing three wickets in the Powerplay, but the run rate was still manageable. Guruswamy Ajitesh and Rithik Easwaran then stitched together a crucial 47-run stand to keep the chase on track. However, Nellai seemed caught between chasing the win and simply getting to the 144-run mark needed for qualification, and that indecision proved costly. Ajitesh brought up a fifty, but with 24 needed from 16 balls to qualify, they could not handle the pressure and saw their playoff hopes slip away, losing their last five wickets for just 12 runs.

A stunning finish to the league stage! Siechem Madurai Panthers have blown Nellai Royal Kings away to leap from fifth to the top of the table, capping off a remarkable turnaround. Nellai had a cushion and knew that even in defeat, reaching 144 would have been enough to secure a playoff spot. But under the pressure, they completely crumbled, bringing their campaign to a heartbreaking end. And the biggest twist of all - Idream Tiruppur Tamizhans sneak into the top four despite their heavy defeat earlier, completing a dramatic playoff qualification. Trichy Grand Cholas and Vida Kovai Kings are the other two teams who made it to the next round.

OUT! ROHIT IS RUN OUT! That will be that for this game, and for Nellai Royal Kings this season as well. Siechem Madurai Panthers win by 72 runs. Ganeshan Periyaswamy lands this back of a length and outside off, Ramalingam Rohit cuts it towards deep point and turns around for the second run. Atheeq Rahman gets to the ball and throws it to the keeper's end. Ram Kumar tries to grab it but fumbles, but luckily for him, the ball pops out and hits the stumps, with Rohit short of his crease. The replay confirms the same. Celebrations in the Siechem Madurai Panthers camp, and in Tiruppur as well.

Hard length and around off, Ramalingam Rohit swings and misses. Valliappan Yudheeswaran sets off and the batters sneak in a bye.

20 runs are needed in 7 balls for Nellai Royal Kings to qualify, but they only have 1 wicket.

Bye, the batter looks to play that but is comprehensively beaten.

Tiruppur will be celebrating this wicket more than Siechem Madurai Panthers. Valliappan Yudheeswaran is the last man in.

OUT! RATHI IS RUN OUT! Nellai Royal Kings are on the verge of getting knocked out here. Gurjapneet Singh lands this back of a length and around off, Sachin Rathi cuts it towards backward point and sets off for the run. V Hari Ragavendra picks up the ball and throws it at the bowler's end. Rathi, for some reason, goes around and does not drag his back in. The ball hits the stumps, and he is short of his crease.

So close! A slower dipping yorker, on off, Sachin Rathi goes through the swipe early and misses and the ball misses the off pole by a whisker.

Into the tail now. Sachin Rathi comes out to the middle.

OUT! CAUGHT! You cannot keep Shoaib Md Khan out of this game. A slower one, full and outside off. Muhammed Adnan Khan tries drag it with a wild slog across the line. He loses his shape completely and falls over while playing the shot. He ends up slicing it in the air towards extra cover, where Khan backtracks a bit and takes a fine catch. The Panthers are throwing it away here.

1 run, the batter plays the square cut. Fetches a single.

No run, the batter looks to play that but is comprehensively beaten.

76 needed in 12 balls! However, Nellai Royal Kings will not be thinking about that equation. They need 21 runs in 12 balls to confirm a place in the playoffs. Otherwise, Idream Tiruppur Tamizhans will take their place.

Excellent yorker, on leg, Ramalingam Rohit fails to get bat on ball and takes a tumble. The ball goes off his pads towards square leg for a leg bye.

1 run, that is slogged away through mid wicket for a single.

1 run, that is pushed away for a single.

Emmanuel Cherian is substituted by Ramalingam Rohit

The playoff races take another twist. Ramalingam Rohit is the next man in. He is the Impact Sub for Nellai Royal Kings, replacing Emmanuel Cherian.

OUT! IN THE AIR..GONE! Ganeshan Periyaswamy gets his second. He goes fuller nad on middle, angling in a bit. NS Harish looks to slog it away but gets more height than distance on the shot. It goes miles in the air towards deep mid-wicket, where Atheeq Rahman runs forward a bit and takes a fine catch.

1 run, this is worked away for a run.

FOUR! Much-needed! Fuller and on middle, Muhammed Adnan Khan gets under it and smacks it down to the long on fence for a boundary.

No run, the batter looks to play that but is comprehensively beaten.

1 run, that is defended off the back foot to the off side for a single.

No run, the batter looks to play that but is comprehensively beaten.

Pace off again, hard length and on middle and leg, Muhammed Adnan Khan tries to ride the bounce to play it but it goes off his gloves behind the stumps. He sets off for the run but is sent back. Ram Kumar runs forward, but fails to collect the ball and lets go of a run out chance.