Indore, June 5 (IANS) The Rajat Patidar-led Gwalior Cheetahs bounced back in style in the Aditya Birla Group Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026, registering a 12-run victory over Bhopal Leopards at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.

Batting first, the Cheetahs piled up a mammoth 220/8 in 18 overs in a match that was reduced to 18 overs per side following a delayed start caused by wet outfield. It was a batting masterclass from Gwalior Cheetahs opener Parth Chaudhary, who smashed the first century of the season against Bhopal Leopards in Indore.

Chaudhary came out all guns blazing and, along with Kartik Parihar, gave the Cheetahs a flying start. The opening pair added a stunning 90 runs in just 7.1 overs, putting the Leopards under pressure right from the outset.

Parihar played an attacking knock of 35 off 22 balls before departing, but Chaudhary showed no signs of slowing down. Although the Cheetahs lost Kuldeep Gehi soon after, captain Rajat Patidar joined the opener and kept the momentum going.

The duo took complete control of the innings, attacking the bowlers from the start and finding boundaries with ease. Chaudhary reached a magnificent century and eventually scored a breathtaking 107 off just 51 deliveries, smashing 7 maximums and nine fours while Patidar chipped in with a quick 29 off 15 balls during their 79-run partnership.

The fireworks continued in the closing stages as Vikas Sharma and Arpit Patel entertained the crowd with some powerful hitting. Their late flourish helped Gwalior Cheetahs post a massive total.

Later, it was the Gwalior Cheetahs bowlers who took control of the contest with a disciplined and aggressive display. Tanishq Yadav and Rahul Chandrol gave Bhopal Leopards a steady start, adding 46 runs for the opening wicket, but the innings quickly unravelled after the breakthrough.

The Leopards lost momentum dramatically, slipping from a promising position to 66/5 in just 6.1 overs after losing five wickets in the space of three overs.

Pawan Nirwani and Pranjul Puri then staged a fightback, putting together a valuable 92-run partnership to keep Bhopal’s hopes alive. The stand was finally broken by Ishan Afridi, who dismissed Pranjul for a well-made 38 off 21 balls.

Nirwani continued to battle on and brought up an impressive half-century, but despite his efforts, the Leopards fell short of the target and were eventually restricted to 208/7 in 18 overs, handing Gwalior Cheetahs a victory.

–IANS

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