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Dindigul Dragons vs SKM Salem Spartans Match 18 Full Commentary
Result · Aug 14 2026, Fri - 03:30 PM (IST)
Match 18, - NPR College Ground
SS 158/8 (15.0)
DD 239/6 (15.0)
Dindigul Dragons beat SKM Salem Spartans by 81 runs
CRR:10.53
Player Of The Match
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We are back for the chase! The players are already out in the middle. Hari Nishaanth and Abishiek Selvakumar are the two openers for SKM Salem Spartans. P Bhuvaneswaran will start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Tough outing with the ball - SKM Salem Spartans had a really forgettable outing with the ball here. They were taken to the cleaners at every phase of the innings. The only time they had hope was when they got wickets on consecutive balls in the 5th over. However, that was only as good as it got for them, and dropping Baba Indrajith early on also did not help their cause. Rajendran Vivek managed to pick up 3 wickets, while Karthick Manikandan chipped in with a couple, but no bowler managed an economy of under 11, which says it all. Now, their batters have a mountain to climb if they want to get their first win of the season. Join us in a bit for the second essay.
Destruction from the Dragons - Dindigul Dragons may have missed out on the record total, but it has been a massacre by their batters in this shortened game. Starting with the openers, who went after the bowling right from the start, stitching up a 70-run stand in just 28 balls, with both Shivam Singh and Vineeth VK striking at 225 or above. They could not convert their starts, but it mattered less. Skipper Baba Indrajith took matters into his own hands, smashing everything out of the park and adding 62 off 24, along with Vimal Kumar, who also played his part. Baba continued to go big guns and scored 73 off 25, including 8 towering sixes, while Hunny Saini also played a fiery little cameo to take them closer to that 240-run mark.
DROPPED! That sums up SKM Salem Spartans' performance! Pitched up and on middle, Nirankar Sharma slogs it away but mistimes it a bit. It goes towards deep mid-wicket, where the fielder spills it and allows a couple of runs. Dindigul Dragons finish on a whopping 239/6!
SIX! The record total is still on! Fuller and on middle, Nirankar Sharma clears his front leg and whips it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. A boundary need on the last ball to post the highest total in TNPL history.
Who comes out now? It will be Nirankar Sharma.
OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Rajendran Vivek sticks to the slower one, full and on middle. Baba Indrajith tries to launch it over long on but for the first time in a while, does not get the timing. It flies in the air towards long on, where M Mohammed takes a safe catch. End of a superb knock from the skipper.
1 run, this time the batter goes back and punches it from the crease for a run.
Finally, something to cheer for SKM Salem Spartans. P Bhuvaneswaran walks out to bat.
OUT! CAUGHT! Rajendran Vivek gets his second wicket. He bowls this full and on off, slower one. Hunny Saini tries to reach out in front to loft it down the ground but ends up slicing across it. It goes high in the air towards long off, where Karthick Manikandan for a moment loses it but runs forward to take a good catch. Dindigul Dragons are 230/5 now.
WIDE! Fuller but down the leg side, Hunny Saini fails to get bat on ball.
Slower one, on a length and around leg. Baba Indrajith steps across to glance it away but it goes off the back of his bat towards short third for a single.
Rajendran Vivek will bowl the final over.
No run, beaten! Lovely bowling as the batter is defeated all ends up.
WIDE! Fuller and outside off, over the tramline. Hunny Saini leaves it along but the umpire does not give a wide as the batter has moved across early. However, Dindigul Dragons take a review here. The Ball Tracking shows that, even with the batter moving across, the ball is outside the revised guideline. Wide given.
SIX! It's a six-hitting party! Fuller and outside off, angling away. Hunny Saini throws his hands at it and carves it over the deep point fence for the fourth six of the over.
SIX! That is outta here! A slower one, full and outside off. Hunny Saini drags his slog and sends the ball sailing over the deep mid-wicket fence for another biggie.
Low full toss, on middle, Baba Indrajith jams it out to long on for a single.
SIX! Two in two! Good length, on middle, pace on. Baba Indrajith stands tall and thrashes it over the long on fence for his eighth maximum.
SIX! Clears the fence! Fuller one and on middle, angling in, Baba Indrajith uses the angle and swings it away flat and over the deep square leg fence for a biggie. That's six number 7 for the skipper.
SIX! It's getting even worse for M Poiyamozhi! He bowls a high full toss, on leg. Hunny Saini does not miss out and smashes it out of the park, over the deep mid-wicket fence for another biggie. It is also called a No Ball for height, but SKM Salem Spartans have taken a review. The Ball Tracking shows it is under the waist of the batter and a fair delivery. Regardless, 32 runs off the over. 200 is also up for Dindigul Dragons.
1 run, the batter comes forward and plays an off drive for a run.
FOUR! Finds the gap! Hard length and on middle, Baba Indrajith stays back and heaves it away, bisecting long on and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.
SIX! FIFTY FOR INDRAJITH! Off just 17 balls. Now, that's called leading from the front, as he has been simply outstanding here. Back of a length and on middle, Baba Indrajith gets on top of the bounce and hammers it over the deep mid-wicket fence for half a dozen more. He is no mood to slow down now.
SIX! Makes full use of the Free Hit! Short of a length and on middle, takes pace off. Baba Indrajith picks it up early, waits for it and muscles it over the long on fence for a biggie.
WIDE! Slower bouncer, on middle, too high for the batter. Baba Indrajith ducks. Wided. Free Hit still continues.
Wide! That is left alone for the keeper to collect.
In the air...TAKEN! But it won't matter, as M Poiyamozhi has overstepped here, and it is a No Ball. This is fuller and around off, Baba Indrajith goes after it but slices it in the air and the fielder at covers backtracks to take the catch.
SIX! Just over! Pitched up and on middle, Baba Indrajith steps across to get inside the line of it and tries to slog it. It is not from the middle of the bat, but flies in the gap between deep mid-wicket and long on for a maximum.
Onto the next one - Right then, that is it from this one-sided affair, with Dindigul Dragons moving up to fifth after a big win, while SKM Salem Spartans are knocked out. However, the action does not stop here, as we have another game lined up between Siechem Madurai Panthers and Chepauk Super Gillies. You can simply switch tabs and enjoy our coverage. Cheers!
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - The victorious skipper of Dindigul Dragons, Baba Indrajith, wins the award for his excellent knock of 73 off 25 balls. He says his quiet celebration after reaching fifty was because he felt the job was not yet done, especially after a difficult season in which they had lost three games on the trot following their opening match. He admits there was pressure, but says his experience over the years has taught him to embrace it, trust his preparation and put his best foot forward. He also acknowledges that he had some luck along the way, with two catches going down and a no-ball giving him another reprieve. On the team's performance, Indrajith highlights the opening partnership, pointing out that Vineeth VK had been playing well since coming into the XI, while Shivam Singh had also returned to form. He adds that the rest of the batting order had contributed as well. Looking ahead, he hopes this is the right time for the team to peak and that they can carry this form into their next game at Chepauk in Chennai.
Dindigul with a complete performance - Earlier in the game, Dindigul Dragons posted a monstrous total, with Baba Indrajith leading from the front with a blistering 73 off 25, while the rest of the batting unit kept the scoring rate high. Rajendran Vivek picked up three wickets and Karthick Manikandan two, but it was ultimately a disappointing outing for SKM Salem Spartans with the ball after winning the toss. Dindigul Dragons, meanwhile, had plenty of runs to defend and their bowlers backed the batters up brilliantly, with M Viju Arul claiming three wickets and every other bowler chipping in with at least one to seal a crucial win.
Spartans collapse under pressure - Chasing a mammoth total, SKM Salem Spartans needed a strong start, and the skipper, Abishiek Selvakumar did his best with a brisk 38 off 18, but lacked support at the other end. From 53/1, they slumped to 73/5 and never recovered. Karthick Manikandan, Eshwar M and M Mohammed offered brief resistance, but with wickets tumbling at regular intervals, the Spartans ultimately fell well short of the target..
Dragons back to winning ways - Dindigul Dragons have roared back to winning ways with a much-needed victory to keep their season alive. For SKM Salem Spartans, though, it is the end of the road, as a fifth straight defeat leaves them firmly rooted to the bottom of the table.
Fires in a yorker, on middle, S Ajith Ram can only dig it back to the bowler. Dindigul Dragons win by 81 runs!
Flatter, short and on middle, M Poiyamozhi misses his pull as the ball goes off his pads towards square leg for a leg bye.
Low full toss, on off, S Ajith Ram thumps it to long off for one.
No run, the cover drive is played but the result is a dot.
SIX! Clears the fence! Tossed up, full and on middle, S Ajith Ram gets under it and dispatches it over the long on fence for a biggie.
1 run, the pull shot comes into play towards deep square leg. One run taken.
BK Kishore will bowl the final over.
2 runs, the batter comes forward and punches it through covers for a couple of runs.
WIDE! Tries the slower bouncer again, on middle, but too high. S Ajith Ram misses his pull. Wided.
Hard length and on middle, S Ajith Ram stabs it back to the bowler.
No run. Swing and a miss! The batter swings hard at that one but does not connect due to lack of pace.
1 run, the batter has just blocked that from the crease. Gets a run.
Slower bouncer, outside off, M Poiyamozhi swings across the line but misses.
SIX! Just over! Fuller and on middle, M Poiyamozhi lofts it down the ground as the ball goes high in the air towards long on. Vimal Khumar tries to keep his feet inside and stretches his hands outside the ropes to grab it but fails to do so and it goes for a biggie.
Fuller and on off, M Poiyamozhi drills it to long off for one.
WIDE! On a length but down the leg side, M Poiyamozhi misses his flick. It is calle a wide but Baba Indrajith has taken a review. UltraEdge shows it has hit nothing and it is a wide.
FOUR! Nice shot! Pitched up and outside off, M Poiyamozhi gets his hands through and drills it past extra cover for a boundary.
No run, the batter looks to play that but is comprehensively beaten.
Who walks out now? It will be M Poiyamozhi.
OUT! BOWLED'EM! M Viju Arul has three now. He goes full and straight, attacking the stumps. M Mohammed swings all over it and sees the furniture get rattled behind him.
A wide yorker, outside off, M Mohammed fals to dig it out.
Fuller and on off, S Ajith Ram drills it to mid off for a single.
FOUR! A bit predictable from Sandeep Warrier as he goes short again, on middle. M Mohammed picks up the length and smacks it to the deep mid-wicket fence for four more runs.
No run, the batter looks to play that but is comprehensively beaten.
WIde! Another quick bumper, on middle, M Mohammed misses out on his pull again. Not given as a wide but Spartans have taken a review here. Ball Tracking shows it is above the head of the batter and a wide is given now.