Gwalior, June 20 (IANS) Jabalpur Royal Lions produced a commanding all-round performance to defeat Rewa Jaguars by 21 runs in Match 16 of the Madhya Pradesh League 2025 at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium on Friday, ending Rewa’s unbeaten streak in the tournament.

Asked to bat first, Jabalpur got off to a shaky start, losing both openers early to a fiery spell from Saransh Surana. The Jaguars’ pacer struck twice in the power-play to rattle the Lions’ top order.

However, Siddharth Patidar held his ground and led the rebuilding phase with a resilient 51 off 36 balls, mixing caution with well-timed aggression. Just when he looked set to anchor deeper, Saransh struck again, completing a stellar four-wicket haul and putting Jabalpur under pressure.

With the scoreboard reading a modest 117/6 in 16.1 overs, the Lions looked set for a total in the 160-170 range. But then came a stunning late flourish from Ritik Tada and Sanjog Singh. The duo unleashed a brutal assault in the final overs, stitching together an unbeaten 68-run partnership.

Ritik blazed his way to 45 not out off 22 balls at a strike rate of 204.5, while Sanjog hammered a quick 36 not out off 14 deliveries at a strike rate of 257.1, propelling Jabalpur Royal Lions to a formidable 185/6.

Chasing 186, Rewa Jaguars’ opener Prithviraj Singh Tomar provided a steady start with a composed 52 off 41 balls, but the middle-order crumbled under pressure. Despite a late fightback from Mukul Raghav, who remained unbeaten on 42 off 28 balls, Rewa fell short and finished at 164/6, conceding their first defeat of the season.

The standout performer for Jabalpur with the ball was Pankaj Patel, who set the tone with figures of 4-36, earning him the Player of the Match award.

Speaking after the match, Ritik Tada credited the finish to team awareness and pitch reading. “The plan was simple. We saw the wicket had moisture, and it was soft, so we initially thought 170 would be a good total. But after early wickets, we revised the aim to around 160. In the end, the finish went well and we managed to set a strong total,” he said.

When asked about his approach at the crease, Ritik added, “The idea was to take some time and get set, because the wicket wasn’t easy and the ball wasn’t coming on. After 5-6 balls, I got a feel of the wicket and the bowler’s strategy. I kept that in mind and capitalised on their mistakes.”

Ritik also reflected on his current focus during the tournament, “Right now, I’m focusing more on game awareness, understanding what the situation demands and responding accordingly.”

The victory marked a strong resurgence for Jabalpur Royal Lions, who had remained winless in their first three games of the season. With this result, they have now secured back-to-back wins, gaining crucial momentum as the league phase progresses.

—IANS

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