Bengaluru, July 11 (IANS) Bengaluru Blasters booked their place in the final of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 tournament after defeating Coastal Kings Mangaluru by 12 runs in Qualifier 1 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday.

After slipping to 52/5 inside eight overs, the Blasters recovered spectacularly through an unbeaten 133-run partnership between captain Shubhang Hegde and Praveen Dubey to post 185/5. Samit Dravid then led the defence with figures of 3-30 as the Coastal Kings finished on 173/6 despite a spirited late fightback.

Put into bat, the Blasters were rocked early as Vasuki Koushik and Santokh Singh reduced them to 52/5 in the eighth over. Koushik removed Bhuvan Raju and Shivraj S, while Santokh accounted for Rohan Patil and Wahid Faizan Khan, to leave the league leaders in deep trouble.

With the innings in the balance, Hegde and Dubey rebuilt patiently before accelerating through the back end. The pair added 133 unbeaten runs for the sixth wicket off just 74 deliveries, including 78 runs in the final five overs, to wrest back control of the contest.

Dubey was the aggressor during the stand, bringing up his second half-century of the tournament on his way to an unbeaten 69 off 38 deliveries, studded with six fours and two sixes. Hegde anchored the partnership with an unbeaten 65 off 52 balls, striking two fours and three sixes as the Blasters posted a competitive 185/5.

Chasing 186, Coastal Kings lost both Aadharsh Prajwal and captain Karun Nair inside the power-play. Samit Dravid struck first to remove Aadharsh, while Vidwath Kaverappa dismissed the dangerous Karun Nair for two, leaving the Kings at 23/2.

Nikin Jose and Prajwal Pavan steadied the innings with a 50-run partnership for the third wicket before Dravid returned to dismiss Jose for a well-made 45, reducing the Kings to 88/4.

Siddharth Akhil and Suraj Ahuja kept the chase alive with a brisk 64-run stand for the fifth wicket. Akhil struck 37 off 24 balls with two fours and three sixes, while Ahuja remained unbeaten on 52 off 29 deliveries, hitting six fours and two sixes.

However, with 34 required off the final two overs, Dubey delivered the decisive breakthrough by dismissing Dheeraj Gowda in the 19th over. Despite Ahuja’s unbeaten half-century, the target proved too steep.

The defeat means Coastal Kings Mangaluru will face Shivamogga Yodhas in Qualifier 2 on Saturday for the remaining place in the final.

Brief scores:

Bengaluru Blasters 185/5 in 20 overs (Shubhang Hegde 65 not out, Praveen Dubey 69 not out; Vasuki Koushik 2-26, Santokh Singh 2-45) beat Coastal Kings Mangaluru 173/6 in 20 overs (Nikin Jose 45, Siddharth Akhil 37; Suraj Ahuja 52 not out, Samit Dravid 3-30) by 12 runs.

–IANS

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