Maharaja Trophy: Chethan Shines As Bengaluru Blasters End Mangaluru Dragons' Undefeated Run

Maharaja Trophy: Chethan LR struck a fluent 74 off 46 balls as Bengaluru Blasters ended Mangaluru Dragons’ unbeaten run in the Maharaja Trophy with a three-wicket victory in a rain-affected clash in the competition on Sunday.

With the match reduced to 19 overs a side due to rain, Dragons’ in-form opening batters Lochan Gowda (49) and Sharath BR (45) produced a blistering 90-run partnership off 45 balls to lay the platform.

The duo smashed 82 runs in a rain-shortened 5.4-over powerplay, the highest score in this phase of the season, before Mohsin Khan (2/26) pegged them back by removing the openers. Prateek Jain (2/45) also chipped in by removing Macneil Noronha and Aadarsh Prajwal while Thippa Reddy fell to Naveen MG as dragons were left in trouble at 121/4 in 13.4 overs.

A late surge from Shivaraj S (33 not out off 15 balls) carried them to 174/6, but the total proved insufficient against a Blasters batting line-up that capitalised on Chethan’s dominance at the top.

Chethan and Rohan Patil (26 off 13 balls) powered the Blasters to 69/1 by the end of the powerplay. Though Patil fell lbw to Noronha in the fifth over, but Chethan carried on in fluent fashion, reaching a 30-ball half-century with ease.

Mayank Agarwal’s breezy 20 off nine balls, laced with three fours and a six, ended at the hands of Sachin Shinde before Bhuvan Raju (14) combined with Chethan in a 55-run stand to steady the middle overs. Bhuvan’s dismissal to skipper Shreyas Gopal in the 13th over left the Blasters at 129/3.

Chethan and Rohan Patil (26 off 13 balls) powered the Blasters to 69/1 by the end of the powerplay. Though Patil fell lbw to Noronha in the fifth over, but Chethan carried on in fluent fashion, reaching a 30-ball half-century with ease.

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Brief Scores: Mangaluru Dragons 174/6 in 19 overs (Lochan Gowda 49, Sharath BR 45; Prateek Jain 2-45, Mohsin Khan 2-26) lost to Bengaluru Blasters 175/7 in 18.3 overs (Chethan LR 74, Rohan Patil 26; Kranthi Kumar 2-28) by three wickets (via VJD Method)

Article Source: IANS