Rewa Jaguars pacer Naveen Chouhan delivered the MPL T20 Scindia Cup 2026's first hattrick in the final over at Holkar Stadium, Indore on 15 June, as his side overpowered Rajat Gwalior Cheetahs by 23 runs in a high-scoring contest. The Jaguars posted 238/6 and restricted the Cheetahs to 215/9, with Chouhan's late burst proving the decisive factor.

Rewa Jaguars Build a Daunting Total

Batting first, the Jaguars overcame an early wobble when opener Prithviraj Tomar fell for 15 off 8 balls. Akshat Raghuwanshi and Arham Aqueel steadied the innings with an 82-run partnership. Aqueel contributed 37 off 29 before departing, and Raghuwanshi followed for a composed 60 off 33 balls.

Anant Verma and Sagar Solanki then added 46 runs for the fourth wicket. Verma blazed 44 off 19 balls before being dismissed, and Atharva Mahajan fell first ball, leaving the Jaguars at 185/5. Solanki anchored the innings before launching into the death overs, finishing unbeaten on 58 off 27 balls, including four sixes and three boundaries, to propel Rewa to 238/6. For the Cheetahs, Kartik Parihar was the pick of the bowlers with 3/29 from four overs.

Gwalior Cheetahs' Chase Falls Short

The Cheetahs' chase began poorly when Parihar was dismissed on just the second ball of the innings. Parth Chaudhary and Kuldeep Gehi revived hopes with a 51-run second-wicket stand, with Gehi making 27 off 15 before departing. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, and at 115/4, captain Rajat Patidar and Vikas Sharma launched a counterattack, adding 39 runs together. Patidar contributed a captain's knock of 45 off 23 deliveries, while Sharma chipped in with 31 off 18 balls. Their departures left the Cheetahs at 174/6 in the 16th over, with the target effectively out of reach.

Naveen Chouhan's Historic Hattrick Seals the Match

The defining moment arrived in the final over when Chouhan dismissed Ishan Afridi, Akash Singh, and Saumy Pandey off successive deliveries — the first hattrick of MPL 2026. He finished with figures of 3/11, ensuring the Cheetahs were bowled out for 215/9 and sealing a 23-run victory for the Jaguars.

What the Players Said

Solanki reflected on the team's batting effort: 'Our openers gave us a very good start. Akshat took a lot of responsibility at the top and played a crucial role in setting the platform. When I went in to bat, my mindset was simple — spend some time at the crease, get set, and then capitalise on the scoring opportunities. Anant was batting beautifully at the other end and he kept telling me to take my time because once I got set, I could finish strongly. That partnership helped us build towards a big total.'

Chouhan described his hattrick moment: 'Taking the first hattrick of the season feels really special. Any bowler would be happy to achieve something like this. To be honest, when I was bowling that final over, I wasn't thinking too much about the hattrick. My captain had told me there was a left-hander on strike, so the plan was simply to bowl a good off-cutter and execute it well. Thankfully, it worked in my favour.'

What's Next for MPL 2026

With this win, Rewa Jaguars strengthen their position in the MPL T20 Scindia Cup 2026 standings. The tournament continues at Holkar Stadium, and Chouhan's hattrick sets an early benchmark that bowlers across the competition will look to match.