Indore, June 19 (IANS) Chambal Ghariyals extended their unbeaten run in the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026 with another impressive victory, defeating Jabalpur Royal Lions by five wickets at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. The win also secured the Ghariyals a place in the semi-finals of the tournament.

Batting first, Jabalpur Royal Lions posted a daunting 204/5 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks largely to a sensational unbeaten century from wicketkeeper-opener Ajay Rohera. Registering his second hundred of the season, Rohera produced one of the finest knocks of the tournament, smashing 132* off just 63 deliveries. His innings, the second-highest individual score of the season, featured 10 sixes and seven fours.

The Lions made a steady start with Rohera and Mihir Hirwani adding 37 runs for the opening wicket in 4.3 overs before Hirwani departed for 19 off 20 balls. Despite wickets falling regularly at the other end, Rohera continued to dominate the bowling attack and kept the innings together.

With the score at 94/4, skipper Rahul Batham joined Rohera in the middle, and the pair stitched together a crucial 110-run partnership that propelled the Lions past the 200-run mark. Batham played the supporting role effectively, contributing 22 off 16 deliveries before falling on the final ball of the innings.

For Chambal Ghariyals, Aman Bhadoriya was the standout bowler, returning highly economical figures of 2/18 from his four overs. Sandeep Singh claimed three wickets but proved expensive in the death overs, finishing with figures of 3/40.

Chasing 205, the Ghariyals were powered by a magnificent unbeaten century from opener Ankush Singh, who anchored the chase with 107* off just 57 deliveries. His match-winning knock was laced with 13 fours and four sixes.

Ankush and Harsh Dixit gave the Ghariyals a strong start, putting together 57 runs for the opening wicket inside five overs. Dixit scored a brisk 27 off 14 balls before departing, after which Shubham Sharma joined Ankush at the crease.

The duo added 65 runs for the second wicket to keep the chase firmly on track. Sharma contributed 15 off 12 balls before being dismissed. Although the Ghariyals lost a few wickets in regular succession during the middle overs, Ankush remained composed and continued to find boundaries.

Holding one end firmly, he guided the innings expertly and ensured there were no further hiccups, taking Chambal Ghariyals over the line in the final over to seal another win.

Reflecting on the team’s win, Ankush said, “The atmosphere in our dressing room has been fantastic. Winning consistently certainly helps, but what makes this group special is that every player genuinely enjoys and celebrates the success of others. That positive energy and team spirit have played a big role in our campaign so far.”

–IANS

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