TNPL 2025: Lokesh's fifer helps Chepauk Super Gillies beat Dindigul
In-form pacer and the league’s highest wicket-taker, Abhishek Tanwar, provided an early breakthrough by removing Ravichandran Ashwin, while M Silambarasan sent back Shivam Singh soon after.
Lokesh Raj celebrates after picking a wicket
CHENNAI: Chepauk Super Gillies (CSG) avenged last year’s playoff heartbreak by defeating defending champions Dindigul Dragons by 8 runs in a Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) match on Monday.
In-form pacer and the league’s highest wicket-taker, Abhishek Tanwar, provided an early breakthrough by removing Ravichandran Ashwin, while M Silambarasan sent back Shivam Singh soon after.
The surprise of the day was Lokesh Raj, who claimed a sensational five-wicket haul for just 13 runs. He also held his nerve in the final over, dismissing Aakaash Sharma and Varun Chakravarthy in quick succession to seal the win.
Earlier, a fighting half-century by skipper B Aparajith (56 off 38 balls) lifted the four-time champions to a competitive 180 for 6 after being put in to bat. Walking in at No. 3, Aparajith struck three fours and three sixes en route to his 16th TNPL fifty and second of the season.
Dindigul made early inroads through pacer Sandeep Warrier and skipper Ashwin, who reduced CSG to 46 for 2 by the end of the Powerplay. Aparajith then stitched a 50-run partnership off 33 balls with Vijay Shankar (26) to revive the innings.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy dismissed Aparajith, caught at deep mid-wicket in the 16th over, to pick up his third wicket.
The innings ended on a high with an unbroken 46-run seventh-wicket stand off just 23 balls between Sunil Krishna (32 off 18, 4x4, 1x6) and Dinesh Raj (13 off 6, 1x6), propelling CSG to a defendable total.
Brief scores: Chepauk Super Gillies 180/6 in 20 overs (Baba Aparajith 56, Varun Chakravarthy 3-25) bt Dindigul Dragons 172/8 in 20 overs (Baba Indrajith 73, Ravichandran Ashwin 67, Lokesh Raj 5/13)
