Lyca Kovai Kings vs SKM Salem Spartans Live Score, Match 4 of Tamil Nadu Premier League, 2026

TGIF - Thank God, It's Friday. Because we are going to have double the fun. The afternoon match kicks off at 3.30 pm IST, between Chepauk Super Gillies and IDream Tiruppur Tamizhans. And then, in the evening, from 7.30 pm IST, the Dindigul Dragons take on the Nellai Royal Kings. Dindigul would be up and buzzing with the weekend around the corner but our buildup will begin a lot earlier than the mentioned timings. So do tune in early on 7th August, 2026. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Leap of faith - This is just the first game for both sides, but Lyca Kovai Kings have jumped up to second spot, thanks to this big victory margin. Correspondingly, the Spartans are second from bottom. They don't have much time to fret as they meet Trichy Grand Cholas on Saturday next. The Kings, on the other hand, also play on the same day, but in the afternoon, against Siechem Madurai Panthers.

We are a process-oriented team - The victorious skipper of Lyca Kovai Kings, SHAHRUKH KHAN, says that they are a very process-oriented team and feels that the boys were in good nick before the tournament, and they tried to keep things simple on the field. Adds that the wicket was a bit sticky early on, but the way the batters played, even in the middle phase, was good to see. On the bowling, he says Jhathavedh Subramanyan has always been a wicket-taker for them and bowls the tougher overs, and feels that it is always a blessing to have someone like Jhatavedh and Manimaran Siddharth in your team.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - The award goes to Lyca Kovai Kings' BALASUBRAMANIAM SACHIN for his blistering knock of 77 (42) studded with 7 fours and 4 sixes. On his knock, Sachin says that this is just the start of the season, so it is a great confidence builder. Believes that he can contribute more as the season progresses. On the conversation in the middle with Abhinav Kannan during their 85-run partnership for the second wicket, Balasubramaniam says that the plan was to just avoid dot balls and try to score as much as possible. On his thoughts on his team's score at the halfway mark, BS says that the wicket was good but sticky and the Kings have a good bowling attack. So he believed that 194 was a very good score.

Needed a good start - The captain of SKM Salem Spartans, ABISHIEK SELVAKUMAR, rues the early part of the run chase. He says that his team needed to have a good start in the chase. Explains that the ball was sticking around a bit and batting was difficult, but his batters chose to play their shots rather than adapting to the conditions. Adds that had they played out those first 3-4 overs watchfully, they could have chased this total down as the wicket was not all that bad entirely. On the lone warrior, Nidhish Rajagopal, Selvakumar says that he played really well, showing defiance in the state of woe, holding one end, but unfortunately, the rest of his batters simply could not support him.

... THE PRESENTATION ...

Not utilizing the conditions - When Abishiek Selvakumar chose to bowl, he would have expected his bowlers to pick up at least 2-3 wickets in the Powerplay. But they managed just a solitary wicket in that phase and even missed a catch and could never come back. Lyca Kovai Kings put on a combined team show, with Balasubramaniam Sachin sparkling brightly, making 77, and the others chipping in bits. Towards the end, M Poiyamozhi and M Uday Kumar picked up 3 wickets apiece but that just prevented the Kings from crossing the 200-mark.

One-warrior show - Sadly, for the Spartans, only one batter stood out - Nidhish Rajagopal. He batted superbly for his 69, surviving the tough phase initially, before changing gears. He found an able ally in S Harish Kumar and for a brief period in that 6th-wicket stand of 60, we got a brief feeling that maybe, this game could have a closer finish. But then, Harish fell and with that, forget the win, even getting close to the target seemed impossible. Towards the end though, M Mohammed's cameo of 30 helped cut down the defeat margin a touch.

Wreckers-in-chief - K Deeban Lingesh and Manimaran Siddharth. Lingesh created ruckus in the opening over itself, picking up 2 wickets in 4 balls and then got his third in his next over. Siddharth played good foil, not allowing runs to be leaked from his end. There was a brief partnership in the middle, but G Kishoor, called into the middle of the chase as an impact substitute, did well to pick up 3 wickets. The others were also decent with the spinners doing really well to choke the batters in the middle overs.

Khadishmal Khadishmal, Paradoosh Paradoosh! Anyone who has watched the first part of The Mummy trilogy, would remember this spell uttered towards the end, to send the Mummy back to where it came from. The first 20 balls of the run chase were nothing but a spell from the Kovai Kings. The ball was sticking on the surface, swinging a touch and in next to no time, the Salem Spartans were reduced to 8/4! That further became 31/5 by the 7th over and it is safe to say, the game was done in the Powerplay itself.

Blown away without the rain - It rained from 1.30 pm local to approximately around 4.30 pm. Having been under the covers for that much time, the pitch was expected to behave in a sticky manner. It did behave that way, but in the second innings, taking SKM Salem Spartans totally by surprise. In the end, it has been a comprehensive opening win for the Lyca Kovai Kings.

OUT! BOWLED! LYCA KOVAI KINGS WIN BY 34 RUNS! On a length, around off, from around the wicket, B Iyappan shapes up for the reverse pull but the ball comes slowly off the deck, takes the glove and deflects onto the stumps. Kishoor ends up with 3 wickets and this is a confident start for the Kovai Kings.

The bowler should have taken a bit more time. Back of a length and around off, M Poiyamozhi swings across the line but cue-ends it just into the off side. The batters set up for the single, and it is the bowler who races after it. Poiyamozhi is struggling to reach the crease at the non-striker's end, but the throw is wide, and he just jogs back to safety.

M Poiyamozhi is the last batter in, replacing M Mohammed.

OUT! CAUGHT! Straight down the fielder's throat and Shahrukh Khan isn't going to drop that. Kishoor goes into the pitch and bangs it in a bit short over off. M Mohammed hangs back and tries to wallop it down the ground but smacks it down to long on, where Khan pouches it safely. An entertaining cameo from Mohammed, but it ends here.

Just back of a length, slower too and on the pads. B Iyappan gets inside the line and tucks it off the inside edge. The ball brushes the pads and goes towards backward square leg. A single taken.

36 runs needed for a Super Over. That previous over has helped cut down the defeat margin by a significant amount. G Kishoor to finish things off.

FOUR! 16 off the last 3 balls, 24 of the over! Tossed up, outside off, M Mohammed swings hard and gets a thick outside edge. To his luck, the ball scoots past short third, to his left, into the deep third fence!

SIX MORE! Action replay of the previous delivery. Shahrukh gives it more air and Mohammed goes big again, with the slog. Finds the man in the deep, but it is a spectator in the stands! 150 UP FOR THE SPARTANS, giving the score a bit more respectability now.

SIX! CLUBBED! Tossed up, outside off, Mohammed gets down on a knee and slogs it way over deep mid-wicket!