Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20: Bengaluru Blasters stay on top with win over Coastal Kings Mangaluru

Hubballi, June 29 (IANS) Bangalore Blasters beat their closest rivals on the points table, Coastal Kings Mangaluru, by eight runs (VJD method) in the second fixture of the day in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 in Hubballi on Monday.

After rain-induced stoppages, the Blasters were set a revised target of 109 in 11 overs, the original target of 180/6 in 20 overs.

Having moved to 28 for no loss in three overs before the match was halted due to more rain, the Blasters clearly knew what was needed of them, and they used that vital knowledge fully to clinch a clinical victory late into the night. When the match was finally stopped again with the Blasters at 68-0 in seven overs, they were well ahead of the par score of 60.

With their fifth victory in six matches, the Blasters further consolidated their position at the top of the table with 10 points.

For the Coastal Kings, who had already lost a point with a washed-out match against Hubli Tigers in Mysore, their second loss in six matches leave them stuck in second spot on seven points, but the gap widened to three points behind the leaders.

Openers Bhuvan Mohan Raju (50, 31 balls, 3 fours, 4 sixes) and Rohan Patil (17, 11 balls, three fours) were unbeaten when the match was called off.

Earlier, asked to make first use of a rain-soaked pitch, captain Karun Nair (43, 31 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) and Shreyas Gopal (35, 24 balls, 5 fours) again combined well to add a 40-ball 55 for the third wicket after an early wobble (50-2)

The veterans used all their experience to rotate the strike and score at a steady pace, with boundaries and sixes coming at regular intervals. But once both fell in the space of nine balls for the addition of just 13 runs, the Coastal Kings slipped to 118 for four with five more overs remaining.

Aggressive wicket-keeper batter Suraj Ahuja (45, 22 balls, 3 fours, 3 sixes) produced a crucial knock. The 26-year-old boosted the total to a challenging 179-6, adding a crucial 26-ball 51 for the fifth wicket with Siddharth Akhil (11).

Ahuja had earlier blasted a 38-ball 96 not out in the defeat against the same team on June 24 in Mysore. But this time too, the youngsters’ efforts went in vain.

Brief scores:

Coastal Kings Mangaluru 179/6 in 20 overs (Nikin Jose 20, Karun Nair 43, Shreyas Gopal 35, Suraj Ahuja 45) lost to Bengaluru Blasters 68-0 in 7 overs (Bhuvan Mohan Raj 50 not out, Rohan Patil 17 not out) by eight runs (VJD Method)

–IANS

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