Rahul Dravid handed over the TNPL trophy to Dindigul Dragons captain Ravichandran Ashwin after his team won the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2024 final.
In a thrilling final at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, the Dindigul Dragons, led by skipper R. Ashwin’s exceptional batting and inspiring leadership, secured their first-ever Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) title with a convincing six-wicket win over the Lyca Kovai Kings on Sunday.
In dramatic seasons at Chepauk, Rahul Dravid presented Ashwin’s team Dindigul Dragons with the TNPL trophy after the win.
TNPL 2024-ன் மணிமகுடத்தில் தங்களோட பெயரை பதிய வெச்சுட்டாங்க Dindigul Dragons! 🏆🥳#TNPLOnStar #TNPL2024 #NammaOoruNammaGethu @TNPremierLeague pic.twitter.com/00yaGgqbHj
— Star Sports Tamil (@StarSportsTamil) August 4, 2024
The Dragons’ bowling attack, spearheaded by pacer Sandeep Warrier (4-0-26-2) and supported by spinners Varun Chakravarthy (4-0-26-2) and P. Vignesh (4-0-15-2), effectively restricted the Kovai Kings to a modest total of 129 for seven in their 20 overs.
Choosing to bowl first after a rain delay of 40 minutes, Ashwin’s decision proved spot on. Warrier made an early breakthrough by dismissing J. Suresh Kumar in the third over. Despite a brief counterattack by Sai Sudharsan and S. Sujay, who took 18 runs off V. P. Dhiran in the fifth over, the introduction of Varun Chakravarthy in the sixth over turned the game. Varun removed Sujay and U. Mukilesh in quick succession, thanks to sharp glovework from Indrajith behind the stumps.
The 19-year-old left-arm spinner P. Vignesh further tightened the screws by claiming the crucial wickets of Sai Sudharsan and Shahrukh Khan, applying a spin choke that saw the Kovai Kings manage only 53 runs between overs seven and 15.
In pursuit of 130, the Dragons faced early setbacks as M. Siddharth dismissed Shivam Singh in the second over, and G. Thamarai Kannan sent back Vimal Khumar in the next. However, a resilient partnership between Ashwin and B. Indrajith (32 off 35 balls, including three boundaries) steadied the innings. The pair rotated the strike and found occasional boundaries, putting together a 65-run stand for the third wicket.
The breakthrough for the Kovai Kings came when their skipper, Shahrukh Khan, dismissed Indrajith in the 14th over. Despite this, Ashwin continued his fine form, scoring a composed 52 off 46 balls, including one boundary and three sixes, marking his third consecutive half-century of the tournament.
Sarath Kumar’s late blitz (27 not out off 15 balls, featuring two fours and two sixes) ensured the Dragons cruised to victory, reaching 131 for four in 18.2 overs.
This landmark victory for the Dindigul Dragons, driven by strategic captaincy, disciplined bowling, and resilient batting, marks a memorable chapter in their TNPL journey.
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