Tamil Nadu started the tournament with a bang. Finally, they have qualified for the quarterfinals after six seasons. Tamil Nadu did not start their Ranji season well; they lost to Gujrat in their first match, following which they had a draw against Tripura. After that Tamil Nadu has been unstoppable as a team. They had won four matches in their last five games and top Group B. Previously Tamil Nadu was knocked out in the semifinals against Mumbai in the 2016-17 season.
Tamil Nadu beat Punjab by a handsome margin of nine wickets in the final league match at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground on Monday. Tamil Nadu secured the top spot of the table in Group C with 28 points. Skipper Sai Kishore looked pleased after winning this match.
Baba Indrajith and Vijay Shankar secured the victory for Tamil Nadu
After batting first, Tamil Nadu scored a formidable total of 435 in the first innings. They were 107 for 4 one time, then came middle-order batter Baba Indrajith and experienced all-rounder Vijay Shankar at the crease. Both of the players have scored centuries in the first innings. Baba Indrajit made 187 off 295 balls, on the other hand, Vijay Shankar scored 130 runs off 271 balls. They put in a mammoth 281-run partnership for the fifth wicket and changed the course of the match.
Punjab scored only 274 runs in their first innings. The wicket-keeper Batter Anmol Malhotra was able to score 64 runs. Tamil Nadu spinner S Ajith Ram took 6 wickets in the first innings and rattled up Punjab’s batting order. Following on, Punjab scored only 231 runs in their second innings. Mumbai Indian batter Nehal Wadhera scored 109 runs off 107 balls but the rest of the batting lineup looked very underconfident in front of lethal Tamil Nadu bowlers. Skipper Sai Kishore took 4 wickets in the second innings.
Punjab set the target of only 70 runs, Tamil Nadu secured their win in just 7 overs and won the match by 9 wickets. They will face Saurashtra in the quarterfinals at Coimbatore.
