Anurag Nalgonda Knights registered their third consecutive victory in TG20 Season 1, defeating Palamuru Strikers by six wickets at the G. M. C. Balayogi Stadium in Gachibowli, Hyderabad on Monday, 29 June. Skipper Rahul Buddhi's unbeaten 68 off 40 balls anchored the chase as Knights overhauled the target with 28 balls to spare, vaulting them to second place on the points table.

Strikers' Batting Collapse and Recovery

Palamuru Strikers were rocked early, losing three wickets inside the Power-play to find themselves reeling at 5/2. A run-out removed the in-form Vignesh Reddy in the very first over, while Aniketh Reddy dismissed Karan Yadav for a duck in the second. Md Arfaz Ahmed then bounced out Rohit Rayudu (4 off 10) in the fifth over to pile on the pressure.

The Strikers' middle order responded through a 37-run stand between Pragnay Reddy (55 off 35) and Chaitanya Reddy (17 off 18), the latter rotating strike effectively before falling to Divesh Singh in the ninth over. Pragnay and Rathan Teja (50 off 33) then combined for a crucial 74-run partnership off 50 balls, both reaching their half-centuries in 32 balls and carrying the side past the 100-run mark.

Knights' Bowlers Shut Down the Innings

The Strikers plundered 22 runs off the 17th over, but Nishanth Saranu (2/16) dismantled the partnership by dismissing both Pragnay and Rathan Teja within four deliveries in the 18th over, leaving the Strikers at 134/6. A disciplined final two overs yielded only 14 runs and claimed three more wickets, restricting Palamuru Strikers to 148/9 in 20 overs. Md Arfaz Ahmed finished with the best figures of 3/39.

Buddhi Takes Charge in the Chase

Debutant Jashwanth Mote (17 off 11) and Gaurav Reddy (18 off 10) gave the Knights a brisk start, putting on 21 runs in the first two overs. Rishab Baslas (2/26) brought the Strikers back into the contest by dismissing both openers in successive overs, reducing Knights to 47/2 in the fifth over.

Captain Rahul Buddhi and Nitish Reddy (19 off 15) steadied the innings with a 48-run partnership, with Buddhi taking personal responsibility for maintaining the run rate. After Nitish fell in the tenth over and Varun Goud (13 off 12) followed soon after, Buddhi never relented. He brought up his fifty with a six — reaching the milestone in just 30 balls — and ultimately steered Knights to 149/4 in 15.2 overs. His knock featured seven fours and three sixes.

Points Table and Significance

The win lifts Anurag Nalgonda Knights to second position in the Hyderabad Cricket Association's TG20 standings. Three wins in three outings signal a settled combination and strong bowling depth. This is the first edition of the TG20, making every points-table position significant as teams look to stake their claim in the knockout stage.

Brief scores: Palamuru Strikers 148/9 in 20 overs (Pragnay Reddy 55, Rathan Teja 50; Md Arfaz Ahmed 3/39, Nishanth Saranu 2/16) lost to Anurag Nalgonda Knights 149/4 in 15.2 overs (Rahul Buddhi 68*, Nitish Reddy 19; Rishab Baslas 2/26) by six wickets.