Bengaluru, July 8 (IANS) Captain Karun Nair produced another match-winning innings as Coastal Kings Mangaluru edged Gulbarga Mystics by three runs in the final league match of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 tournament at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

With the playoff spots already decided before the match, there was little at stake except final standings. But the contest delivered an exciting finish, with the Mystics falling just short in their chase of 170.

The Coastal Kings posted 169-9 before restricting the Mystics to 166/7, sealing their fifth win in 10 matches to finish second in the standings with 11 points. Bengaluru Blasters topped the table with 18 points, followed by Shivamogga Yodhas (10) and Mysore Warriors (9). Gulbarga Mystics finished fifth on six points, ahead of Hubli Tigers on net run rate.

The play-offs begin on Friday, with the Shivamogga Yodhas taking on the Mysore Warriors in the Eliminator before the Bengaluru Blasters face the Coastal Kings Mangaluru in Qualifier 1.

Nair once again anchored the Coastal Kings’ innings with a superb 65 off 37 balls, striking eight fours and two sixes. Walking in after the early loss of two wickets with the score at 30-2, the experienced Karnataka batter steadied the innings through partnerships of 59 with Prajwal Pavan (35) and 50 with Suraj Ahuja.

His dismissal for 149-5 in the 18th over sparked a late collapse as the Kings lost four wickets for just 20 runs. Kranthi Kumar (3-38) and Suhas Purushotham (2-27) bowled impressive closing spells to restrict the total to 169.

Nair’s third half-century of the tournament, and his highest score this season, took his tally to 294 runs from nine innings.

The Mystics made an aggressive start through openers Macneil Noronha and Aarav Mahesh. Noronha plundered 17 runs from the opening over as the pair raced to 58 without loss in the Powerplay before adding 70 for the first wicket.

Noronha top-scored with 44, while Aarav made 27. Dhruv Prabhakar (28) and Manish Pandey (23) revived the chase with a brisk 40-run stand for the fourth wicket, but their dismissals in quick succession shifted the momentum back in the Kings’ favour.

Despite a late flourish from Kranthi Kumar (30), the Mystics were left needing seven off the final over and eventually finished three runs short.

The Mystics impressed in the field, with Noronha claiming three catches in addition to a wicket, while Thippa Reddy produced one of the catches of the tournament with a superb running effort.

Brief scores:

Coastal Kings Mangaluru 169/9 in 20 overs (Karun Nair 65, Prajwal Pavan 35; Kranthi Kumar 3-38, Suhas Purushotham 2-27) beat Gulbarga Mystics 166/7 in 20 overs (Macneil Noronha 44, Kranthi Kumar 30, Dhruv Prabhakar 28, Aarav Mahesh 27, Manish Pandey 23; Shreyas Gopal 2-36) by 3 runs.

–IANS

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