Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 final: Shivamogga Yodhas beat Coastal Kings by 4 wickets
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Shivamogga Yodhas booked their place in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 final with a commanding four-wicket victory over Coastal Kings Mangaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, 11 July. Aneesh KV's unbeaten 55 off 39 and a four-wicket burst from Dhanush Gowda were the twin pillars of a polished team performance that sets up a final against Bengaluru Blasters.
Bowling display sets the tone
Dhanush Gowda was the standout with the ball, finishing with figures of 4 for 21 to repeatedly disrupt Coastal Kings partnerships. Shreesha Achar and Naveen MG chipped in with two wickets each, collectively restricting the Coastal Kings to 143/8 in their 20 overs.
The Coastal Kings had started briskly, with Nikin Jose anchoring the top order with 34 off 25 before being bowled by Achar in the eighth over. Karun Nair kept the innings alive with a measured 41 off 31, laced with a four and three sixes, and shared a 39-run stand with Shreyas Gopal (13 off 16). However, at 109/4 after 15 overs, the innings collapsed rapidly — slumping to 123/8 in the 18th over as Gowda returned to dismiss Nair, Suraj Ahuja (9 off 10), and Rajvir Wadhwa (9 off 5) in quick succession. Prithviraj Shekhawat's late cameo of 12 off 10 helped the Kings post a competitive, if modest, total.
Aneesh KV steadies the chase
The Yodhas' chase began shakily. Santok Singh struck twice early, removing Luvnith Sisodia (14 off 13) and Tushar Singh (14 off 10), while Prithviraj dismissed Naveen MG to leave the Yodhas wobbling at 41/3 inside five overs.
Aneesh KV absorbed the pressure and rebuilt the innings with composure. He added 31 runs with Harshil Dharmani (13 off 14) before Dharmani fell in the 10th over. The match-defining moment came when Sujay Sateri joined Aneesh — the pair putting on a 70-run partnership off 47 balls that effectively settled the contest. Aneesh accelerated from 20 off 21 to a 31-ball half-century, finishing unbeaten on 55 as the Yodhas crossed the line in 18.4 overs.
Key Takeaways from the Match
Santok Singh was the pick of the Coastal Kings' bowlers with 3 for 30, but the total of 143 proved insufficient against a Yodhas batting unit anchored by Aneesh's clinical knock. Gowda's ability to strike at crucial junctures — breaking the opening stand and then dismantling the lower middle order — was the decisive factor in keeping Coastal Kings below 150.
What's next
Shivamogga Yodhas will now face Bengaluru Blasters in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 final. The match is expected to be a high-profile contest at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with both teams having demonstrated strong all-round credentials through the tournament.
Brief scores: Shivamogga Yodhas 144/6 in 18.4 overs (Aneesh KV 55*, Sujay Sateri 31; Santok Singh 3/30) beat Coastal Kings Mangaluru 143/8 in 20 overs (Karun Nair 41, Nikin Jose 34; Dhanush Gowda 4/21, Shreesha Achar 2/19, Naveen MG 2/25) by 4 wickets.