Maharaja Trophy: Hubli Tigers emerge victorious against Bengaluru in historic triple super-over thriller

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 23 : Hubli Tigers were back to winning ways as they defeated Bengaluru Blasters in an unprecedented triple super over thriller to complete their sixth victory of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20.
Manvanth Kumar was the standout performer, contributing a quickfire 28, taking 4/33, and delivering match-winning exploits in the third super over.

After both teams finished their innings at 164/10 and remained deadlocked after the first two super overs, Manvanth Kumar ensured Hubli's victory by striking a four off the final ball of the third super over, sealing a nail-biting win for the Tigers.

Earlier in the day Bengaluru's Lavish Kaushal logged the first five wicket haul of the season to restrict Hubli Tigers to 164/10. Mayank Agarawal's (54) half-century would also go in vain.

Chasing 165, the Bengaluru Blasters lost Chethan LR to Vidwath Kaverappa in the first over. Coming in at number three, Niranjan Naik showed intent, cracking four boundaries including a six, but Kaverappa ensured the end of Naik in the fifth over. Mayank Agarawal hit five boundaries in the powerplay, but the Bengaluru Blasters struggled, finishing the phase at 48/3 after Manvanth Kumar dismissed Shubhang Hegde for a duck in the sixth over.

The runs were hard to come by as Mayank Agarawal and Rakshit S (11) put on only 26 runs in 29 balls. In pursuit of a higher run rate, Rakshit S would become Manvanth's second wicket of the day. Soon after Mayank Agarawal completed his half-century in 29 balls, including eight fours, he was caught behind off the bowling of Manvanth Kumar, leaving the Bengaluru Blasters in trouble at 96/5 in 13.2 overs.

Suraj Ahuja (26) and Anirudha Joshi (17) combined for 27 brisk runs. In the 17th over, Ahuja was run out and Joshi was bagged by Manvanth Kumar. With 30 runs needed off 18 balls, Naveen MG added the finishing touch, working three boundaries and a six in his 11-ball knock before he was picked up by Kumar LR in the 19th over. Bengaluru Blasters needed one run off the last ball of the innings, but Kranthi Kumar was run out to finish the innings with a tie.

In the first innings, Thippa Reddy (7) fell early, Mohd. Taha gave the Hubli innings a jump-start hoisting two sixes and two fours off Santok Singh in the third over to race to 31 runs in 14 balls. Lavish Kaushal picked Taha in the fifth over with the Hubli Tigers finishing the powerplay at 53/2.

Shubhang Hegde broke through in his first over with the wicket of KL Shrijith (9) and Karthikeya KP (13) became Lavish Kaushal's second wicket of the night. It was Manish Pandey (33) and Aneeshwar Gautam (30) who kept the innings afloat in the middle overs, building a partnership of 57 runs in 40 balls. However, both batsmen would perish in the 16th over, dismissed by Lavish Kaushal, leaving the Hubli Tigers at 131/6.

Manvanth Kumar played a high impact innings in the death overs, finding 28 runs in his 15-ball knock, before he was run out in the last ball of the innings. The wickets had tumbled around him as Kranthi Kumar bested KC Cariappa and Adarsh Prajwal in the 17th over and Lavish Kaushal picked up his fifth wicket through Kumar LR, restricting Hubli Tigers to 164/10.