Second consecutive win for Chennai Singams

Dilip Binjwa’s last-over heroics take Chennai top of the table

New Delhi, 9th March 2024: Dilip Binjwa was the hero for the Chennai Singams in their Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) T10 league match against Bangalore Strikers at the Dadoji Kondadev Stadium here on Friday.

Riding on Binjwa’s stunning over, Chennai defeated Bangalore by four runs to win the South Indian Derby. Their second thrilling win in as many games elevated them to the top of the standings with four points.

Final over thriller
Left-arm pacer Binjwa (3-4 in 2 overs) was asked to defend seven off the final over by captain Sumeet Dhekale and he executed the job to perfection. He bowled two dot balls to Mansoor KL (22 off 17) and ramped up the pressure. Off the third ball, Binjwa safely took a skier as Mansoor went for a big shot. With seven needed in three balls, Parv Lamba holed out to Sanjay Kanojjiya in the deep. Binjwa, who was adjudged the Player of the Match award, then showed composure to earn his side a thrilling victory with two outstanding final deliveries.

Earlier, Farman Khan (0-15), R Thavith Kumar (1-25), Vishwanath Jadhav (1-16) and Pankaj Parel (1-17) had built the platform by reducing Bangalore to 28 for 3 after five overs.

50-50 challenge
One of the unique aspects of the ISPL is the 50-50 challenge. A batting team sets themselves a target of a minimum of 16 runs and chooses who should bowl from the opposition team. If the batting team achieves or exceeds the target, 50 per cent more runs are added. For example, if a team scores 20 runs, they will get 30 runs for that over and if they score 10 runs, they will get only five runs.

Chennai could manage only six runs and effectively got three runs in their 50-50 challenge but that proved a blessing in disguise as Bablu Patil remained at the crease.

Bablu shines again
Earlier, Bablu Patil, who had scored 23* in the previous game, once again used the launch-pad set up by his teammates to take Chennai to 99-7 in their 10 overs. His whirlwind innings of 29 came in 15 balls with three fours and two sixes, which ultimately made the difference.

Opener Ketan Mhatre had set the tone for the innings with 24 off just 15 balls with four and three huge sixes.

Brief scores: Chennai Singams: 99-7 in 10 overs (Bablu Patil 29, Ketan Mhatre 24; Saroj Pramanik 2-13) bt Bangalore Strikers: 95-8 in 10 (Mansoor KL 22, Dilip Binjwa 3-4) by four runs