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So that'll be all for our coverage of this contest but the action rolls on in the Maharaja Trophy 2023. The Mysore Warriors and the Gulbarga Mystics will face off in over an hour from now at this very venue so make sure you catch our coverage of that right here on Sportskeeda. For the moment though, this is the duo of Bidipto Datta and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for tuning in as we hope you enjoyed our coverage. Take care and see you around soon. Buh-bye for now!
Manish Pandey and Co. can do no wrong. It's all going the way of the Hubli Tigers this season and they remain the team to beat as they sit right up top on the table. As for the Bengaluru Blasters, it's getting out of hand now. Mayank Agarwal's frustration on the park was evident and they have plenty of issues to sort out before their next game. They simply have to find a way to win lest it become way too late to catch up with the rest of the pack.
Manish Pandey (Hubli Tigers captain): We don't need individuals to win the game every time. We need different individuals to step in and do the job. I'm blessed as captain to have all eleven individuals showing that character. We're looking forward to keep performing as a team. (On Manvanth) One of the upcoming all-rounders in Karnataka. He has batted and bowled really well in the practice games. He gave us no choice but to play him in the first XI. I'm happy with how he's shaping up as an all-rounder and he'll go places. (On Mayank Agarwal having a few words to say to him) New captain to the old captain that's how it is (grins). Obviously there was a little bit of pressure with the wickets falling but the way Manvanth batted and came out with those two crucial sixes and a couple of boundaries made it easier.
Manvanth Kumar is of course the Player of the Match for his scintillating all-round display!
Match Summary: Hubli Tigers beat Bengaluru Blasters by 5 wickets!
A dominating performance from start to finish in spite of a minor blip during the chase. The Hubli Tigers entered this game as favorites and have only enhanced that reputation further for the rest of the tournament with a comprehensive victory here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. It was their bowling unit that set it up having restricted the Bengaluru Blasters to a modest 105.
Luvnith Sisodia then did what he does best - attack from the word go and spare no bowler in sight. With the pitch playing true, he was in no mood to spare anything in his zone while also manipulating the field well. He did seem to be in a hurry to catch the next movie given the rate at which he was rocketing along although Rishi Bopanna managed to prize him out despite taking some tap. That's when things went slightly downhill for the Tigers with Mohammed Taha following Sisodia and Naga Bharath looking all at sea as he faced ten deliveries without opening his account.
The Blasters seemed fired up and Mayank Agarwal looked far more animated than he normally would. He set very attacking fields and had catchers in play at slip and at short leg too to try and force an error off the batters. Sarfaraz Ashraf spun the ball both ways and presented a different challenge altogether although Manvanth Kumar, on the back of a four-wicket haul, looked very composed and positive at the same time to ensure there were no further hiccups.
While he couldn't finish things off, his skipper Manish Pandey sure did as he wrapped it up in style with a four and a six. A statement of some kind if there ever was one from the Tigers and they've consigned the Blasters to further misery in the process. Stick around for the presentation!
And the captain has the final say in the contest! Finishes it off in style and it's a resounding victory for the Hubli Tigers who now go three in three!
13.3 T Pradeep to Manish Pandey, SIX MORE! AND THAT IS THE MATCH TO HUBLI TIGERS! Good length ball on middle-stump. Flicked away to the deep square-leg region with the swirl of the bat for a lovely maximum to finish it off in style!
Typical Manish Pandey! A strong forearm swat and the scores are level.
13.2 T Pradeep to Manish Pandey, FOUR RUNS! Slightly short around off-and-middle. Manish walks out if his crease and thumps it to deep mid-wicket for a boundary with a lot of disdain!
13.1 T Pradeep to Manish Pandey, over the wicket, short on middle-stump. Tucked down to wide mid-on off the back foot for a well-judged two! The 100 is up for Hubli.
T Pradeep [2.0-0-14-0] is back into the attack.
Manvanth might be out of here but it's just a case of 'too little, too late'. Sarfaraz will be pleased with his efforts though and he could prove to be an X-factor for his side as the tournament goes along.
13
overs
99/5score
1wd
1
4
1
W
2
0
runs
Praveen Dubey*
2(2)
Manish Pandey
11(13)
Sarfaraz Ashraf
2/22
12.6 Sarfaraz Ashraf to Praveen Dubey, full on middle-and-leg. Pushed back to the bowler off the front foot but for no run.
12.5 Sarfaraz Ashraf to Praveen Dubey, good length ball on middle-and-leg. A wristy nudge around the corner to fine-leg for a couple of runs.
Praveen Dubey, RHB, comes to the crease
12.4 Sarfaraz Ashraf to Manvanth Kumar L, OUT! LBW! Quick, flat and straight on the good length. Manvanth played across it on the back foot and missed it. The ball then struck him on the pads right in front and the umpire had no hesitation in raising the dreaded finger upon the appeal!
Manvanth Kumar L lbw b Sarfaraz Ashraf 28 (19b, 3x4, 1x6)
12.3 Sarfaraz Ashraf to Manish Pandey, full on middle-and-off. Driven with the turn down to long-off for a single off the front foot.
12.2 Sarfaraz Ashraf to Manish Pandey, FOUR RUNS! Good length ball on middle-stump. Swept away to the right of deep mid-wicket for a boundary this time.
12.1 Sarfaraz Ashraf to Manvanth Kumar L, full and wide outside off-stump. Driven handsomely to wide long-off off the front foot for a single.
12.1 Sarfaraz Ashraf to Manvanth Kumar L, WIDE down the leg-side to begin the over with from over the wicket!