TNPL 2017: Defending champions Albert TuTi Patriots thrash Chepauk Super Gillies by eight wickets

Albert TuTi Patriots stormed into the finals in style after beating Chepauk Super Gillies by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 of the India Cements Ltd TNPL at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Tuesday. After bowling out Chepauk for 114, Patriots made a mockery of the target, chasing it down in just 12.3 overs, as Washington Sundar toyed around with the Chepauk bowlers. Chepauk still have a shot at the finals, though.

Chepauk, opting to bat first, had the in-form KH Gopinath dismissed early by Athisayaraj Davidson. He struck again during his second over when Thalaivan Sargunam played a lofted shot straight to Aushik Srinivas at mid-on.

Vasanth Saravanan and S Karthik (33) just started to put on a good partnership, when Aswin Crist struck removing Vasanth who hit it to Aushik at long-on. Washington Sundar scalped his first wicket in his opening over as he sent the well-settled Karthik back. Sundar got another one in his second over with Abhinav Mukund completing a great catch diving to his right. Chepauk were in all sorts of trouble at 64/5.

Skipper R Sathish got out after a struggle where he could score only two runs after facing a dozen deliveries. Chepauk’s innings never really took off with only Antony Dhas waging a lone battle in the end. Davidson completed the formalities, finishing with his best TNPL figures of 4 for 25. Chepauk couldn’t get going and the dependence on their openers showed.

Patriots showed why they are the defending champions and why they are unbeaten in the tournament. They were in a hurry to finish off the game as they got to 50 in just 2.5 overs. Sundar smashed the fastest fifty in TNPL history, in 15 balls, and Chepauk had no answer to the onslaught. Sundar had his mind set right from the first over, when he smashed 24 runs, that included a hat-trick of sixes. The match’s fate was sealed in the third over as Patriots had scored already 56, almost half of their required target.

After sharing a partnership of 64 runs for the first wicket with Sundar, Kaushik Gandhi was run out. The very next ball, Sai Kishore disturbed Dinesh Karthik’s stumps. But the Patriots were well on-course for a huge win and had plenty of batting left as Abhinav Mukund joined the unstoppable Sundar. With no further damage done, Tuti got to the target in the 13th over.

Chepauk will now meet the winner of the clash between Karaikudi Kaalai and Lyca Kovai Kings, at ICL Ground, Sankarnagar on Friday (August 18).

Brief scores: Chepauk Super Gillies 114 in 20 overs (S Karthik 33, 26b, 3x4, 1x6; Athisayaraj Davidson 4 for 25, Washington Sundar 2 for 5 - 1 maiden) lost to Albert Tuti Patriot 118 for 2 in 12.3 overs (Washington Sundar 73 not out, 36b, 8x4, 4x6; Abhinav Mukund 33 not out, 27b, 4x4; Sai Kishore 1 for 19 - 1 maiden) by eight wickets.

'Sankar Super Power' Maximum Sixes Award: Washington Sundar (Albert Tuti Patriots)

'Krishna Mines Super White' Fours Award: Washington Sundar (Albert Tuti Patriots)

'Krishna Mines' Super Bowler of the Match: Athisayaraj Davidson (Albert Tuti Patriots)

'Equitas Funtastic' Player of the Match: Athisayaraj Davidson (Albert Tuti Patriots)

'Tekplay Strategic' Player of the Match: Dinesh Karthik (Albert Tuti Patriots)

'India Cements' Man of the Match: Washington Sundar (Albert Tuti Patriots)

'Tata Gluco+' Energiser: Sai Kishore (Chepauk Super Gillies)