Dinesh Karthik was expected to shine in the very first match of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) on Wednesday and we haven't been left disappointed. The Gujarat Lions man played an impressive knock for his team Thoothukudi (Tuti Patriots) as they beat Chepauk (Super Gillies) by 45 runs.
The 31-year-old Chennai batsman, who is named in the India Blue squad for the ongoing Duleep Trophy, scored 67 runs off 49 balls and also remained not out to guide his side to a total of 164 runs in 20 overs.
Chepauk were bowled out for 119 runs with two balls left to be played. Akash Surma and Aushik Srinivas took three wickets each to give the Tuti Patriots a dominating win on the day.
On Thursday, Tiruvallur Veerans, whose skipper is Baba Aparajith, take on Karaikudi Kaalai, captained by former Chennai Super Kings middle order batsman S Badrinath and coached by Robin Singh. The match will take place at the NPR College Ground in Dindigul.
This is the first time that a match will be played under the lights in the stadium and this is a grand moment in itself. The one concern, however, remains the wet outfield and the possibility of showers during the match. Nevertheless, both the teams are gearing up to make their mark.
"Whether it is Mumbai Indians or Karaikudi Kaalai, the basics remain the same. Players need to take the next step during this TNPL," said Robin Singh, who is also the coach of IPL side Mumbai Indians. "It is about handling pressure and playing with freedom which will be the key in this format," he added.
Click here for the schedule of the tournament | Click here for the full list of squads
Tamil Nadu Premier League match 2: Tiruvallur Veerans vs Karaikudi Kaalai is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. IST on Aug. 25.
Where to watch live
India: TV: Star Sports 1, Star Sports HD 1. Live streaming: Hotstar.
