Mysuru Warriors end Hubli Tigers’ unbeaten streak

Table toppers Hubli Tigers had a fairytale beginning in the Maharaja Trophy T20 2023. They had defeated all the competitors in the tournament once in their encounters. However their second encounter with the Mysuru Warriors which would be the last in the group stage turned the tide against them. 

Mysuru Warriors had won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Hubli Tigers got off to a slow start. Opening batsman Mohammad Taha got out in the 3rd over after having scored merely 6 runs.  The batsman at number 3, Naga Bharat too never got going and departed for 12 in 17 balls in the 10th over. However opening batsman Lunvith Sisodia stitched a partnership with Captain Pandey thereafter. Manish Pandey departed in the 18th over after a well made 33 but by then the score had crossed the 150 mark. Lunvith Sisodia eventually went on to get a 100. Despite a flurry of wickets in the penultimate and the final overs of the game, Hubli Tigers had reached a respectable total of 185/7. 

In their chase however, Mysuru Warriors had a phenomenal start scoring 68 in the powerplay. The top 3 had all scored runs with a strike rate exceeding 150. They had scored 143 in 14 overs requiring just 43 in the last 6 overs with 9 wickets. The 15th over saw the team losing 3 wickets in 4 balls slightly tilting the balance of the game. However middle order batsmen, Shoaib Manager and Rakshith S held onto their nerves and took them to the target with 7 balls remaining. This took Mysuru Warriors to the 2nd spot in the table, lagging behind Hubli Tigers by 2 points.