Sanjog Nijjar's sensational unbeaten 66 off 30 deliveries steered Jabalpur Royal Lions to a pulsating three-wicket victory over Gwalior Cheetahs in the MPL T20 Scindia Cup 2026 at Holkar Stadium, Indore on 21 June 2026. Chasing a stiff target of 186, the Lions crossed the line with two balls to spare, ending a run of back-to-back defeats in the tournament.

Gwalior Cheetahs Set a Challenging Total

Batting first, Gwalior Cheetahs posted 185/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Openers Kartik Parihar and Parth Chaudhary laid a steady platform with a 36-run opening stand before Parihar departed for 15 off 17 balls. Chaudhary kept the momentum going, adding a 30-run second-wicket partnership with Kuldeep Gehi before falling for a brisk 39 off 23 deliveries.

Gehi then anchored the innings, combining with Cheetahs skipper Rajat Patidar — who has represented India in 4 international matches — for a crucial 80-run third-wicket stand. Patidar, who survived a no-ball reprieve earlier in his innings, eventually made 37 off 27 balls. Gehi compiled a well-crafted 57 off 39 before being dismissed late in the innings. Arpit Patel then provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 21 off 12 deliveries to push the total past 185.

For the Lions, Punit Datey was the pick of the bowlers, returning an economical 1/23 from 4 overs.

Lions Wobble Before Nijjar Takes Charge

The run chase began badly for Jabalpur Royal Lions, who lost wickets at regular intervals to find themselves in deep trouble at 86/5 in the 12th over, with their leading run-scorer Ajay Rohera already back in the dugout.

Rahul Batham and Sanjog Nijjar then combined to resurrect the chase, adding a vital 61-run sixth-wicket partnership that brought the equation down to 50 runs from the final 4 overs. The stand was broken when Batham was run out for 21 off 16 balls following a miscommunication with Nijjar, leaving the Lions needing 39 off 20 deliveries.

Nijjar's Finishing Act Seals the Deal

Nijjar, however, remained composed under pressure. With 30 needed off the last 3 overs and then 11 off the final 2, the Lions suffered yet another blow when Punit Datey was run out for 14 off 9 balls. Nijjar refused to panic, steering the side home with two balls to spare to complete his match-winning 66 not out off 30 deliveries.

Speaking after the win, Nijjar said: 'First of all, I'm grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to bat on a stage like this and express myself. The franchise, management and team showed a lot of faith in me, backing me to finish games, and that belief gave me confidence. If you don't believe in yourself, it becomes very difficult to succeed.'

On his mindset during the chase, he added: 'The message was very simple, watch the ball and play according to it. I focused on staying calm, breathing properly and keeping my intentions clear. We always talk about maintaining positive intent, and when your mindset is positive and your intentions are right, things usually fall into place.'

Tournament Context

The victory is a timely one for Jabalpur Royal Lions, who had suffered consecutive defeats heading into this fixture. The win keeps their campaign alive in the MPL T20 Scindia Cup 2026. Gwalior Cheetahs, led by the experienced Rajat Patidar, will look to regroup as the tournament progresses.