Karun Nair's 65 steers Coastal Kings Mangaluru past Gulbarga Mystics by 3 runs
Synopsis
Karun Nair's 65 off just 37 balls rescued Coastal Kings Mangaluru from an early wobble and set up a nail-biting 3-run win over Gulbarga Mystics in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 league finale. With 294 runs in nine innings this season, Nair is arriving at the playoffs in ominous form — and Bengaluru Blasters await in Qualifier 1.
Key Takeaways
Coastal Kings Mangaluru beat Gulbarga Mystics by 3 runs in the final Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 league match on 8 July at M.
Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru .
Karun Nair scored 65 off 37 balls (8 fours, 2 sixes) — his highest score and third half-century of the tournament, taking his season tally to 294 runs from 9 innings .
Coastal Kings finished second with 11 points from 10 matches; Bengaluru Blasters topped the table with 18 points .
Kranthi Kumar took 3/38 and Suhas Purushotham took 2/27 to restrict the Kings to 169, yet the Mystics still fell short in the chase.
Playoffs begin Friday : Shivamogga Yodhas vs Mysore Warriors (Eliminator); Bengaluru Blasters vs Coastal Kings Mangaluru (Qualifier 1).
Karun Nair delivered yet another captain's knock as Coastal Kings Mangaluru edged out Gulbarga Mystics by three runs in the final league-stage fixture of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, 8 July. The Coastal Kings posted 169/9 and restricted the Mystics to 166/7, sealing their fifth win in 10 matches to finish second in the standings with 11 points.
Nair's Innings Sets the Platform
Walking in at 30/2 after two early wickets fell, Nair steadied the chase with a composed yet aggressive 65 off 37 balls, laced with eight fours and two sixes. His innings anchored crucial partnerships — a 59-run stand with Prajwal Pavan (35) and a 50-run alliance with Suraj Ahuja — before his dismissal in the 18th over at 149/5 triggered a late collapse. The Kings lost four wickets for just 20 runs to be bowled out for 169. This was Nair's third half-century of the tournament and his highest score this season, taking his aggregate to 294 runs from nine innings.
Mystics' Bowling Effort
Kranthi Kumar was the pick of the Gulbarga Mystics bowlers, returning figures of 3/38, while Suhas Purushotham chipped in with 2/27. Their disciplined closing spells proved vital in restricting the Coastal Kings below 170. In the field, Macneil Noronha was outstanding, pouching three catches in addition to claiming a wicket, and Thippa Reddy produced what was widely regarded as one of the catches of the tournament with a superb running effort.
Mystics Fall Just Short in the Chase
The Mystics launched their chase with intent. Openers Macneil Noronha and Aarav Mahesh raced to 58/0 at the end of the Powerplay — Noronha plundering 17 runs off the very first over — before their opening stand swelled to 70. Noronha top-scored with 44 and Aarav contributed 27. A brisk 40-run fourth-wicket stand between Dhruv Prabhakar (28) and Manish Pandey (23) revived the chase, but their back-to-back dismissals shifted momentum decisively towards the Kings. Despite a late cameo from Kranthi Kumar (30), the Mystics entered the final over needing seven runs and eventually fell three runs short.
Final League Standings and Playoff Picture
Bengaluru Blasters topped the table with 18 points, followed by Coastal Kings Mangaluru (11 points), Shivamogga Yodhas (10 points), and Mysore Warriors (9 points). Gulbarga Mystics finished fifth on six points, ahead of Hubli Tigers on net run rate. With playoff spots already confirmed before this match, the final standings were the only matter at stake — yet the game produced a genuinely tense finish. The knockouts begin on Friday, with the Shivamogga Yodhas facing the Mysore Warriors in the Eliminator, followed by the Bengaluru Blasters taking on the Coastal Kings Mangaluru in Qualifier 1.
Brief Scores: Coastal Kings Mangaluru 169/9 in 20 overs (Karun Nair 65, Prajwal Pavan 35; Kranthi Kumar 3/38, Suhas Purushotham 2/27) beat Gulbarga Mystics 166/7 in 20 overs (Macneil Noronha 44, Kranthi Kumar 30, Dhruv Prabhakar 28, Aarav Mahesh 27, Manish Pandey 23; Shreyas Gopal 2/36) by 3 runs.
Point of View
Not a number three — is quietly making Coastal Kings Mangaluru a dark-horse threat in the playoffs. The more telling detail, however, is structural: the Mystics needed seven off the last over with wickets in hand and still couldn't get there, exposing a middle-order brittleness that better bowling attacks in the knockouts will target. For Bengaluru Blasters, who face the Coastal Kings in Qualifier 1, the message is clear — Nair must be neutralised early, or the equation changes entirely.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the result of the Coastal Kings Mangaluru vs Gulbarga Mystics Maharaja Trophy match?
Coastal Kings Mangaluru beat Gulbarga Mystics by 3 runs in the final league match of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 on 8 July at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The Kings posted 169/9 and restricted the Mystics to 166/7.
How did Karun Nair perform in this match?
Karun Nair scored 65 off 37 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes. It was his third half-century of the tournament and his highest score this season, bringing his aggregate to 294 runs from nine innings.
What are the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 playoff fixtures?
The playoffs begin on Friday, with Shivamogga Yodhas taking on Mysore Warriors in the Eliminator. Bengaluru Blasters, who finished top of the table with 18 points, will face Coastal Kings Mangaluru in Qualifier 1.
Where did Gulbarga Mystics finish in the Maharaja Trophy standings?
Gulbarga Mystics finished fifth in the final standings with six points from 10 matches, ahead of Hubli Tigers on net run rate. Bengaluru Blasters topped the table with 18 points.
Who were the top performers for Gulbarga Mystics in this match?
Macneil Noronha top-scored with 44 and also took three catches and a wicket. Kranthi Kumar contributed 30 runs with the bat and 3/38 with the ball, while Thippa Reddy produced a standout running catch in the field.
