Gulbarga Mystics returned to winning ways with a dominant seven-wicket victory over Hubli Tigers in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 tournament on Thursday, 25 June, as the Mysuru leg of the competition drew to a close. The win lifted Mystics to third place in the standings with four points from four matches.

Hubli Tigers Struggle to Build Momentum

Hubli Tigers never found their stride with the bat, losing wickets at regular intervals throughout their innings. They eventually posted a modest 119 for nine in 20 overs, a total that always looked below par on the surface.

Senior batters Mayank Agarwal (16) and Abhinav Manohar (21) failed to capitalise on their starts, leaving the lower order to salvage some respectability. The highest partnership of the innings came from the final wicket — Shikhar Shetty (27 not out off 17 balls; 2 fours, 2 sixes) and Vaibhav Sharma (4 not out) adding 31 runs, with Shetty's late flourish including 17 runs in the final over to help the Tigers avoid being dismissed under 100.

For the Mystics, medium pacer Kranthi Kumar was the standout with the ball, claiming impressive figures of 3 for 17 from just three overs, including nine dot balls — a disciplined spell that kept the Tigers firmly in check.

Mystics Chase Down Target with Ease

Chasing 120, Gulbarga Mystics wobbled early, losing two quick wickets. However, Thippa Reddy (34 not out off 24 balls; 4 fours) and Macneil Noronha (42 not out off 29 balls; 3 fours, 3 sixes) combined for a match-winning unbeaten partnership that settled the contest well ahead of schedule. The target was reached in just 13.2 overs, with seven wickets to spare.

Notably, Shetty — who had top-scored for Hubli with the bat — also chipped in with 2 for 26 with the ball, though it was not enough to prevent his side's defeat.

Points Table After Mysuru Leg

Bengaluru Blasters lead the standings with six points from three wins. Coastal Kings Mangaluru sit second with five points from two wins and one washed-out match. The Gulbarga Mystics' second win of the campaign takes them to third, while Hubli Tigers slipped to fifth following consecutive defeats.

Coastal Kings Mangaluru Also Win

In the earlier match of the day, Karun Nair and Shreyas Gopal steered Coastal Kings Mangaluru to a six-wicket win over Mysore Warriors. The Coastal Kings were chasing a stiff 192-run target, having been reduced to 42 for 3 by the fifth over.

Nair and Gopal then produced a stunning 123-run fourth-wicket partnership off just 60 balls to turn the match on its head. Nair, the tournament's top auction pick at ₹18 lakh, struck a flamboyant 61 off 32 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) before falling attempting another big hit. The win came less than 24 hours after the Coastal Kings had lost to Bengaluru Blasters by 20 runs on Wednesday.

What's Next

With the Mysuru leg concluded, the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 tournament now moves to Hubballi, where play resumes on Saturday. The Hubli Tigers will be desperate to arrest their slide when they return to familiar territory.