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Dilhara Fernando powers Manipal Tigers to a 3-run win over Bhilwara Kings

image-l8j3jtfjManipal Tigers registered their first win of the season | PC: Twitter

Manipal Tigers rode on an outstanding spell by right-arm quick Dilhara Fernando (4-0-31-4) and a stupendous outing by Tatenda Taibu to eke out a narrow 3-runs victory over Bhilwara Kings on Monday, September 26 at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. 

Chasing the victory target of 175 runs, the likes of William Porterfield, Tanmay Srivastava, Yusuf Pathan, and Irfan Pathan got decent starts but none of them managed to hang around in the middle till the end to get the job done. 

The hard-hitting all-rounder Yusuf Pathan was the top run-scorer for Bhilwara Kings, having cracked 42 runs off just 21 balls while the rest of the batters failed to breach the 28-run mark and were restricted to 172 for nine at the end of the second inning.

Apart from Dilhara Fernando, who claimed an impressive four-wicket haul, skipper Harbhajan Singh and Parvinder Awana also picked up two wickets each while Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan had one to his name. 

A Century Partnership Steers Manipal To 175/8 

Earlier after put in to bat first, openers Jesse Ryder (35-ball 47) and Tatenda Taibu (30-ball 54) provided Manipal Tigers a rollicking start before Yusuf Pathan intervened and ended the century partnership by dismissing the duo in the same over. 

Corey Anderson (21-ball 24) and Mohammed Kaif (25-ball 28) also chipped in with valuable contributions as the duo forged a 40-run partnership for the fifth wicket to take Manipal Tigers to the commanding total.

For Bhilwara Kings, Tino Best was their star performer with the ball, having picked up a three-wicket haul while conceding just 20 runs in his three-over spell. Yusuf Pathan was the second best with figures of 2/25. 

Brief Score

Manipal Tigers: 175/8 (20 Overs)

Tatenda Taibu 54 (30), Jesse Ryder 47 (35); Tino Best 3/20 (3), Yusuf Pathan 2/25 (4) 

Bhilwara Kings: 172/9 (20 Overs)

Yusuf Pathan 42 (21), William Porterfield 28 (23); Dilhara Fernando 4/31 (4), Harbhajan Singh 2/16 (3) 

Manipal Tigers won by 3 runs. 

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