Mysuru, June 24 (IANS) Bengaluru Blasters defeated Coastal Kings Mangaluru by 20 runs in the first match of the day at the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 to stay at the top of the table with six points from four matches. For Coastal Kings, it was their first defeat in three matches, and they slipped to third with three points.

It was another run fest as, batting first, the Blasters raced to 226 for six with useful contributions from almost all the top and middle-order batters.

The Coastal Kings, in reply, made a poor start, losing opener Nikin Jose in the first over, and, more crucially, captain Karun Nair also fell soon for a mere 10, reducing them to 23-2 in 3.3 overs. They slipped further to 97-5 in the 12th over.

When it looked all over, Suraj Ahuja single-handedly waged a spirited battle that turned the match into a thrilling affair.

The 26-year-old scored a whirlwind 96 not out in 38 balls with five fours and eight sixes. He fell short of a deserving century while C.A. Karthik remained unbeaten on 49 off 27 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes). The pair added 109 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket off just 51 balls.

Shubhang Hegde was the pick of the Blasters’ attack with figures of 2-31.

Earlier, it was wicket-keeper batsman KL Shrijith who motored the innings for the Blasters with 59 runs in 33 balls, striking seven fours and two sixes. Shrijith added a 26-ball 55 with opener Rohan Patil (30 off 14) for the second wicket and a 33-ball 49 with Samit Dravid for the third.

Patil (30 off 14, 5 fours, 1 six) and Dravid (39 off 21, 3 fours, 2 sixes) were equally fluent and at times more aggressive than Shrijith.

The good work continued through captain Shubhang Hegde (34 off 18, 4 sixes) and Praveen Dubey (45* off 21, 6 fours, 2 sixes), adding 47 runs in 24 balls for the fifth wicket on the way to a formidable score. C A Karthik (3-49) was the most successful bowler for Coastal Kings.

Brief scores:

Bengaluru Blasters 226-6 in 20 overs (Rohan Patil 30, KL Shrijith 59, Samit Dravid 39, Shubhang Hegde 34, Praveen Dubey 45 not out; CA Karthik 3-49) bt Coastal Kings Mangaluru 206 all out in 20 overs (Suraj Ahuja 96 not out, C A Karthik 49 not out; Shubhang Hegde 2-31) by 20 runs.

–IANS

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