KPL 2017: Mohammed Taha sets sixes record as Bijapur down Hubli, Bellary clinch maiden win

Bijapur Bulls won their second consecutive game in Karnataka Premier League 2017 on Sunday, September 10, seeing off table-toppers Hubli Tigers by four wickets at the S.D.N.R Wadiyar ground in Mysuru.

Mohammed Taha was the star of the show, his show-stopping 45-ball 83 ensuring Bijapur didn't feel the effects of Abhishek Sakuja's excellent returns of 4 for 21. Taha's efforts ensured that Hubli's 159 for 8 was toppled in 18.4 overs. The win snapped Hubli's unbeaten run in the tournament.

Taha was at his free-scoring best even as Sakuja, the left-arm spinner, ran through the rest of the Bijapur top-order.

The wickets meant Bijapur's chase got off to a difficult start, with Sakuja sending back Bharath Chipli, Dikshanshu Negi (2) and Naveen MG (12) to reduce Bijapur to 37 for 3. Sakuja had both Chipli and Negi trapped in front within three deliveries of each other, and then had Naveen stumped, spotting the batsman's charge down the ground and dropping it short.

All the while, Taha just kept pummelling the ball. His intentions were made clear in the very first over as he picked 15 runs off Vinay Kumar. He followed that up with big hits off Sakuja, Praveen Dubey and Kranthi Kumar, ensuring Bijapur were always in the chase despite the early slide.

Taha brought up his half-century off just 27 balls, but that didn't slow down. He continued fearlessly taking on the bowlers, confident in his ability to take the aerial route over the fielders. So much so that he found it easier to hit sixes than fours.

He displayed excellent power, but also fine technique to score on both sides of the wicket with all manners of shots. M Nidish, meanwhile, provided able support, rotating strike and chipping away with the singles.

By the 15-over mark, Taha had hammered his ninth six, which also helped him set a tournament record for most sixes. His big hits ensured Bijapur needed less than a run-a-ball at that point. However, with the need of the hour being composure, Taha holed out off Sakuja, the bowler claiming his fourth wicket. The momentum shifted right back to Hubli.

Brief scores: Hubli Tigers 159 for 8 in 20 overs (Mayank Agarwal 33, K Siddharth 34; Ronit More 2-37, MG Naveen 2-13) lost to Bijapur Bulls (Mohammed Taha 83, M Nidhish 29; Abhishek Sakuja 4-21) by four wickets.

Gautham, Manohar star for the defending champions

Later in the day, Bellary Tuskers, the defending champions, got their first victory of the season after edging the home side, Mysuru Warriors.

Suneel Raju, the Mysuru captain, had scored a 51-ball unbeaten 78 to power his side to a tricky total of 161 for 6.

However, CM Gautam and Abhinav Manohar put on an 88-run stand for the fifth wicket to drive the chase. Manohar scored a ballistic 24-ball 47, at a stunning strike-rate of 195.83, to power the scoring, while Gautam scored a relatively sedate but crucial 34-ball unbeaten 45.

Their efforts helped Ballary post 163 for 5 in 19.3 overs and claim their first win of the tournament.

Bellary lost Rohan Kadam (2) early on in their chase, but during the partnership between KB Pawan and Amit Verma it seemed as though Ballary had laid a good-enough platform from which to make a charge.

They ensured there was at least a boundary every over – Raju's sixth over went for 16 runs as both batsmen lifted sixes – and by the eighth over, the total had been boosted past the 60-run mark.

However, as happens so often, one wicket led to a flurry. Verma (27 off 19) was trapped in front off J Suchith, attempting to play one across the line, and Pawan followed suit soon after, confounded by a Shreyas Gopal googly for a 19-ball 26. Gautam and Kunal Kapoor attempted to revive the innings, but another Gopal googly did it for Kapoor (5), the batsman bowled through the gate.

At that stage, after 11 overs, Ballari still needed 92 runs. Gautam took charge, with Manohar joining him for company. Gopal's success was limited in his third over, both batsmen tonking him for sixes. And they just kept tonking. Manohar didn't show any sign of jitters coming into a pressure situation. He took on Suchith in his next over, while at the other end Gautam charged at NP Bhareth.

Mysuru toiled hard, but by the time they broke through, Manohar had fetched more runs off another Vyshak over, and the damage had been done. Gautam fittingly scored the winning runs with a four at third man, and the defending champions had their first win.

Brief scores: Mysuru Warriors 161 for 6 in 20 overs (S Raju 78, A Hoysala 23; Z Faroqui 2-30, A Verma 2-41) lost to Bellary Tuskers (A Manohar 47, C Gautham 45; S Gopal 2-19) by five wickets.