TNPL 2019, VBKC vs DD Preview: Dindigul Dragons stands in VB Kanchi Veeran’s qualification path

VB Kanchi Veerans team in practice session ahead of their clash against Dindigul Dragons in 4th Sankar Cement TNPL 2019 at NPR cricket ground, Natham, Dindigul

Natham, Dindigul, August 04: The road ahead for VB Kanchi Veerans in their quest to qualify for the 4th Sankar Cement Tamil Nadu Twenty20 Premier League (TNPL) Playoffs has got a tad tougher. They run into table-toppers Dindigul Dragons in their sixth match at the NPR College Ground, Natham, Dindigul on Monday.

VBKV have to win both their remaining matches to qualify without worrying about net run rate or how other teams fare. But taming DD is no easy task as no team has been able to defeat them this season.

VBKV can draw inspiration from their brilliant comeback this season after a heavy eight-wicket loss in their first match against Lyca Kovai Kings. They turned their campaign around with three back-to-back victories - by 110 runs against iDream Karaikudi Kaalai, 7 wickets against defending champions Siechem Madurai Panthers, 55 runs against Tuti Patriots – before Chepauk Super Gillies stopped their winning streak by inflicting a 61-run defeat.

The incentive for VBKV to win against DD is two-fold. It will not only help them consolidate their position in the standings but also mark them out as serious contenders for the title.

For DD it is an opportunity to fine-tune some grey areas and maybe test their bench strength ahead of the Playoffs.

Match 23:VB Kanchi Veerans v Dindigul Dragons

Venue: NPR College Ground, Natham, Dindigul

When: August 5, 2019 (Monday)

Match timings:7:15 P.M. onwards

Live on: Star Sports 3, Star Sports 1 (Tamil), Vijay Super

Head to Head: VBKV 1; DD 2

2018 league record: VB Kanchi Veerans 7th; DD League toppers

2019 record: VB Kanchi Veerans LWWWL; Dindigul Dragons WWWWW

2019 top performers: Baba Aparajith 179 runs, Gowtham Thamarai Kannan 8 wickets (VBKV); Narayan Jagadeesan 340 runs, M Silambarasan 9 wickets (DD)

TEAMS

VB Kanchi Veerans: Suresh Lokeshwar (WK), K Vishal Vaidhya, Baba Aparajith (captain), R Sanjay Yadav, Rajagopal Sathish, K Deeban Lingesh, P Francis Rokins, Raghupathi Silambarasan, NS Harish, Gowtham Thamarai Kannan, Rangaraj Suthesh, U Mukilesh, RS Mokit Hariharan, S Siddharth, S Arun, R Aushik Srinivas, R Divakar.

Dindigul Dragons:C Hari Nishaanth, Narayan Jagadeesan (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin (captain), NS Chaturved, Rajendran Vivek, Sumant Jain, Mohan Abhinav, M Mohammed, Ramalingam Rohit, M Silambarasan, Jagannathan Kaushik, Yazh Arun Mozhi, Varun M Totadri, Adithya Arun, Trilok Nag.

Umpires:K Srinivasan, K Srinath; Third umpire:N Janani.

Match referee:B Kalyanasundaram.

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