Challengers 185/11
Chargers 139/18If Match 1 proved the Autumn League's marquee names could bring raw firepower, Match 2 showed the value of a side that can recover, rebuild and then strike back with the ball. Challengers weathered a Chargers fightback to post 185/11 before sealing a 46-run victory.
INNINGS 1: MAHANTH'S FIREPOWER, PREM'S POISE
Chargers won the toss and chose to field, but Challengers captain Mahanth Sharma made sure they would have a serious target to chase. He hammered 53 net runs from 23 balls, with seven sixes. The 12th over brought 28 runs with three sixes, a no-ball and a wide. Visagn supplied another four sixes in his 23 net runs from 19 balls.
Chargers refused to be swept aside. Shivaprasad took 3/24 net and Ashkar took 3/8 net, with two wickets in a 15th over that pushed the Challengers score backwards by one. When another wicket fell on ball 16.3, Challengers were 138/11.
Prem and Mahanth steadied the finish. Prem's 28 from 17 balls gave the captain vital support, and together they put on an unbroken 47 from the final 27 deliveries. Challengers finished on 185/11, leaving Chargers needing 186.
INNINGS 2: KUNAL'S FIVE-WICKET BLITZ
Chargers' chase was in trouble almost immediately. Kunal Patel removed Abhay and Ashkar in the opening over, which ended at −2 net runs. Two more wickets in his sixth-over spell tightened the grip. He finished with 5/17 net from four overs and a net economy of 4.25.
Sudeep blasted 46 net runs from 24 balls, while Nibu struck 32 from 16. A 16-run tenth over gave their chase fresh momentum. Dev dismissed both batters in the next over on his way to 4/17 net, with Jitesh adding three wickets. Mahanth held two catches; Visagn added two catches, a stumping and a run-out; Mohan effected two run-outs.
Chargers took 20 net runs from the 19th over and another 18 from the last, with Sudeep hitting a six in each. Chargers ended on 139/18 and Challengers won by 46 runs.
KEY MATCH FIGURES
| Category | Challengers | Chargers |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 185/11 (20.0 overs) | 139/18 (20.0 overs) |
| Top batters | Mahanth Sharma 53 (23), seven sixes Prem 28 (17) Visagn 23 (19), four sixes | Sudeep 46 (24) Nibu 32 (16) |
| Top bowlers | Kunal Patel 5/17 (4.0 overs) Dev 4/17 (3.0 overs) Jitesh three wickets | Ashkar 3/8 (2.0 overs) Shivaprasad 3/24 (4.0 overs) |
| Fielding | Visagn two catches, one stumping and one run-out Mohan two run-outs Mahanth Sharma two catches | Thanvilin Thattakath three catches Joju three catches |
Batting runs are net of three runs for each penalised dismissal. Bowling figures and economy use net runs conceded; run-outs are credited to fielders separately.
POST-MATCH TAKEAWAYS
- Mahanth's seven sixes, including three in a 28-run over, gave Challengers their platform.
- From 138/11, Prem and Mahanth added an unbeaten 47 across the final 27 deliveries.
- Kunal's opening two wickets became a five-wicket haul; Chargers' late charge came too late.