Stats Nilay's TPCL CricStats & Extras | Final Stats updated | Bad Boys win Super Slam!

[NILAYSHAH60]

Naman A7 steals the show.​

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TPCL Staff.
16:46 IST

FC Warm-ups Overview​

Warm up Match 1: Bad Boys v/s Lannisters, Lord's, London​

Bad Boys won the toss and elected to bowl first. The Lannisters were never in control as they were 158/5 at one stage. A couple of wickets each to Kumarjit Biswas and Fraklin Jacob while a wicket to Fadhl Rukunah. Lannisters batsman Lalit Modi and Parth K scored 40 runs each while Rudi Struwig scored 36. Lannisters crumbled throughout their innings as they were bowled out for 244. Kumarjit Biswas finished with figures of 4/30 in the first innings.

Bad Boys lost a wicket early and were soon 134/4. Rudi Struwig and Choo Choo Locomotive put on 71 runs for the 5th wicket with Locomotive scoring 56 and Struwig 41. Lalit Modi also scored 52 runs. Bad Boys were bowled out for 283 taking a 39-run lead for the first innings. Schwanstgger's 33 runs were crucial without which taking a lead was going to be difficult for the Bad Boys. Ohm Fischer managed to take 4 wickets for the Lannisters.

They Lannisters put on an identical batting performance in their 2nd innings as they were bowled out for 242. Messi and Modi scored 45 and 41 respectively while X Factor scored 50 runs. Naman A7 took 5 wickets giving away just 23 runs!!!! Chris Swift's innings of 83 runs helped Bad Boys chase down 204 with 6 wickets in hand.

Lannisters          244 & 242
Bad Boys            283 & 204/4           

Bad Boys won by 6 wickets

Man of the match: Naman A7

Warm-up Match 2: The Avengers v/s West Coast WildCats, Floating Marverl​

WildCats won the toss and elected to bat first in a decent batting pitch. They got off to a good start putting on 70 for the first wicket but lost their way soon being 216/7. Chandler Bing's 82 and Jethalal Gada's 45 took WildCats to 362 all out in their first innings. Naman Thakur and Andrin Issac scored 56 runs each while Neptune Gaming scored 46. Mohsin 7827 took 4 wickets.

Avengers put on 107 for the first wicket with Ahmed Leo scoring 59 while Barry Stock scoring 46. Sod Anderson paid off the faith of The Avengers as he went on to score 121 while Musk also scored 61. The Avengers scored 421 all out in their 1st innings as Manish Reddy looked to be the only effective bowler taking 3/100. Avengers got a first innings lead of 59 runs.

Issac's 84 and another lower order rescue from Jethalal Gada who scored 43* took WildCats to 331 all out in their 2nd innings with the Avengers needing 273 to chase down. Mohsin finished with 7 wickets for the match. Avengers won by 6 wickets and Sod Anderson was the Man of the match.

West Coast Wildcats 362 & 331
The Avengers        421 & 274/4           

The Avengers won by 6 wickets

Man of the match: Sod Anderson

Warm-up Match 3: Royal Mavericks v/s ex-Royal Mavericks, HPCA, Dharamsala​

Royal Mavericks won the toss and elected to bat first. They put on 307 in their first innings with Akash Singh, Gokulraj Kamaraj and AJ Mods scoring 52, 69 and 42 runs respectively. A rare failure for Ali Bubere as he scored just 37. Sultan MS Nama took 4 wickets.

ex-Royal Mavericks were miserable with the bat as they managed only 184 from their first innings giving away a lead of 123 runs to the Mavericks. Princess Saffron had figures of 4/44.

Royal Mavericks once again put on a good score in their 2nd innings as they managed to score 258. This time Bubere didn't fail to disappoint as he scored 42. Kamaraj too scored 42 while Hirani scored 49. Qpee Qpee took 4 wickets. Van Divine scored 101 while Dikshansh Darshan scored 56 as ex-Mavericks eventually fell short by 76 runs.

Royal Mavericks     307 & 258
ex-Royal Mavericks  184 & 305

Royal Mavericks won by 76 runs

Player of the match: Princess Saffron

Warm-up Match 4: Wild Force v/s Xtreme Rebelz, Wild Park​

The Wild Force were all over like a rash on the Rebelz after losing the toss as the Rebelz were bowled out for a mere 109. No one apart from Barry Allen who scored 34 put up an innings of substance. Vallabha Panchangam finished with extra-ordinary figures of 6/15.

The Wild Force did not bat that well either as they were bowled out for 183. Ansari and Allen took 3 wickets each. Abdul Rafay top scored with 39. No one apart from Sod Anderson breached 50 for Rebelz in this match as they were once again bowled out for 226 with Wild Force needing 153 to win. Kushal Choudhury and Ashutosh Kushwaha scored 38 and 36 respectively while Sai Prathik scored 37 runs. Wild Force won the match by 5 wickets.

Xtreme Rebelz       109 & 226
Wild Force 183 & 155/5

Wild Force won by 5 wickets

Man of the match: Vallabha Panchangam

Bradman Shield Round 1 Fixtures​

MATCH 1: THE WILD FORCE vs THE AVENGERS at WILD PARK - DUSTY PITCH
MATCH 2: THE ROYAL MAVERICKS vs BAD BOYS at DHARAMSHALA CRICKET STADIUM - BALANCED PITCH

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Player Interview: We are confident of beating Mavericks in our next OD Match- Dylan Smith​

Interview by TPCL Staff.​

17:58 IST​

Interviewer: We have got Dylan Smith from the Avengers alongside with us.
Were you expecting to get an opportunity from the first match itself Dylan?

Dylan Smith: I had a suspicion I was going to be around the first team when I went for 1.8 million- I wouldn't expect anyone to spend that on a bench player- but I didn't expect to start, nor did I expect to play such a crucial role, so I'm chuffed about that.

Interviewer: How special does it feel to get a place in the playing XI from the first match itself in your first edition of TPCL?

Dylan Smith: It's quite special. I only really became active a long time after TPCL 2 so this is my first experience of TPCL and if I'm honest it kind of feels like a school camp- all the banter, in-jokes and sledging that don't really carry over across the rest of the forum. I've been loving it! Let's hope I get to love it even more with some silverware.

Interviewer: How much do you enjoy the environment in your dressing room alongside your team mates from The Avengers camp?

Dylan Smith: The Avengers dressing room is great! The management have been so welcoming, and we have a good core of people across the team. I'd only play for another team if the owners don't want me here any more, but I haven't seen any indication of that.

Interviewer: What was going through your head when The Avengers were 6 down scoring just around 200 chasing 286?

Dylan Smith: It was to break the situation down ball by ball and play to the situation. I didn't have to try too many big hits myself- Talha was taking care of those- but my goal was to score off every delivery.

Interviewer: Did you enjoy batting with Talha Hayat?

Dylan Smith: Who wouldn't when he's on that kind of form? It's the best seat in the house. That six he hit in the last over was an absolute monster! Not to mention, that batting got the crowd full of energy, and that flows through you as a batsman, it means you're less scared of failure.

Interviewer: How many wickets do you think you can get this season?

Dylan Smith: Honestly it depends on whether I'm in the first team plans across all three formats. If I am in the first team all year across all formats, and bearing in mind I'm a rookie, I'd hope for around two per match. But I'd be chuffed with more!

Interviewer: Who do you think can prove to be an X-factor in your team?

Dylan Smith: I'm tempted to say myself, I have faith in my ability, but I think we have a good core of allrounders- as we showed in the practice T20, we could play ARs from 4 to 11 if the need be- and I think the flexibility and power that offers may be the real difference. If we're talking one player... it's tricky to go past Talha after that innings!

Interviewer: Are you confident of beating the Mavericks in your next OD match?

Dylan Smith: The Mavericks have some great players - two of them are in my fantasy team- but I think we can beat anyone if we all click. We showed most of it against a good Bad Boys side last time, and if we perform the same way and have a little more luck, we will definitely win.

Currently The Avengers are playing the Wild Force at the Wild Park in an FC game.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Player Interview: I would definitely stamp us to win all the 3 formats- Naman A7​

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Interview by TPCL Staff.​

18:26 IST​

Interviewer: So we have got Naman A7 from the Bad Boys alongside us
How does it feel to be playing for the Bad Boys Naman?

Naman A7: I know few players here with whom I wanted to team up since the first edition of TPCL , but it couldn't happen . Now , it is a perfect setup for me after been picked by Bad Boys . Trying to be as bad as I could.

Interviewer: Do you feel any pressure in playing for the strongest team in the TPCL history?

Naman A7: Well everyone feels some sort of pressure (including me) when they are into a strong competitive team . But the most loving thing is, that even if you don't get a chance to play, you learn a lot about the gameplay through the other players.

Interviewer: Tell us something about your spell against the Lannisters in the FC Warmup match.

Naman A7: Now that match is a gold example regarding the fact that Kumarjit & I form a spin attack .
You saw that in the first innings , Biswas provided the breakthroughs taking a 4-wicket haul . While I ended up on the expensive side taking 1 wicket .

And also, Biswas is the captain of our FC squad. In the 2nd innings of our bowling, he gave me the ball before him, regardless of my poor performance before. He sensed to have read the pitch well & knew that the pitch would now support more to the off-spinner . The result was all on display . I racked up a 5-fer .

There's no clashes among us two spinners. We would bowl when the situation demands. The most important thing that benefits a player's performance, is the faith that the Captain has upon his players...

Interviewer: How much competition exists in your dressing room for finding a place in the team since Bad Boys have got an all round bowling attack? Also do you think you and Kumarjit form a part of spin attack of the Bad Boys or one of you needs to sit out?

Naman A7: Very competitive here. Every player is finding it difficult to make in the XI. According to the match intensity the bowlers and all-rounders are been reshuffled. They know that if they are not suited for a match, then please sit on the bench & let the deserving player play.

You may see Kumarjit & me playing together and also may be not. The reason is the dynamics structure of our bowling department. Biswas is a leg-spinner & I am an offie. We both have our own speciality. Given the pitch scenario the team management will pick a sensible eleven. And either of us would be happy to sit out for the team if needed.

Interviewer: Tell us something about the environment in the dressing room.

Naman A7: We are a bunch of bad guys in true sense. There is an obsession among us for winning. A battle with own self to beat it & come out as the best . And that is what any sport needs, the obsessive attitude. Losing is just out of the context here.

Interviewer: Which tournament do you see your side having the best chance to win this season?

Naman A7: To be very honest, given how our team has stacked up- with players for every sort of pitch & enough backups surrounded, I would definitely stamp us to win all the 3 formats. No exagerration intended! It is what it is.... But..... winning the purest format of game at first would be more appreciated, Don Bradman Shield

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Dikshansh Darshan tears apart the Wild Force bowling line-up​

TPCL Staff.​

18:25 IST​

KV Trophy Round 1 Overview​

Match 1: Royal Mavericks v/s The Wild Force, Dharamsala

This was the first match of the season played between the 2 powerful giants of OD Cricket at the beautiful Dharamsala. The home team won the toss and put Wild Force in to bat first on a dead pitch with little or not help to the bowlers. Wild Force were up and running as Murtaza Ali got them off to a flyer scoring 21 runs off just 14 balls. But it was the partnership between Indranagar ka Gunda and TS Prathik that set things up really nicely as Indranagar ka Gunda went on to score 65 off 66 balls while TS Prathik scored 75 off just 63 balls. They put on 112 for the 2nd wicket off just 90 balls. Although the Mavericks made a comeback with the ball getting Gunda & Prathik in quick succession while Mark kkkk failed to put up runs on the board getting out for 10. At 196/4, Kushal Choudhury and Bilal Ansari joined each other on the crease as they put on an unbeaten 137 run partnership taking The Wild Force to 335/4 in their 50 overs. Wild Force failed to take advantage of the start that they had got since they managed only 67 runs in their last 10 overs of the innings. Choudhury made 77 off 78 while Ansari scored a run a ball 70. Prabhul KV picked up 2 wickets giving away 75 runs in his 10 overs. Princess Saffron gave away 71 runs in her 9 overs and was the most expensive of the lot.

The Mavericks started off with a positive intent and kept up well with the rate. Ali Bubere did get out for 26 runs early in the innings to Manish Reddy but that did not affect the Mavericks at all as they kept going for a boundary every over. Van Divine was all over the Wild Force attack scoring 73 off 54 balls before getting out to Ashutosh Kumar Kushwaha. Dikshansh Darshan came to the crease as he looked in the form of his own notching up a half century in just 34 balls. He actually went on to score 105 in just 77 balls before getting out to Rafay. By then, the Mavericks had already gained a strong position in the match requiring just 77 in 101 balls. Suman Mohanty came to the crease and just piled on the misery as he scored an unbeaten 60 off 40 balls. Akash Singh also supported him with a 52-ball 56. Royal Mavericks chased down 336 in just 43.2 overs winning the match by 6 wickets. Mildred Ratched was the most expensive bowler for the Wild Force conceding 75 runs in just 7.2 overs. Kuswaha was equally expensive conceding 79 runs in 8 overs but he got a couple of wickets with him. Dikshansh was adjudged as Man of the Match for his scintillating knock of 105 runs.

THE WILD FORCE       335/4     50.0 overs
THE ROYAL MAVERICKS  341/4     43.2 overs
 
The Royal Mavericks won by 6 wickets (with 40 balls remaining)

Man of the match: Dikshansh Darshan (The Royal Mavericks)

Match 2: The Avengers v/s Bad Boys, The Floating Marvel

Avengers won the toss and elected to field first on a balanced pitch. They were soon regretting the decision as the Bad Boys scored 50 runs in just 7 overs. However, Dylan Smith did get Umair Nazim for 24. Lalit Modi looked in an outstanding touch scoring 92 in just 68 balls as he got out lbw trying to hit Neptune Gaming across the line and missing it completely missing on the magical figures by just 8 runs. Modi put on 112 runs for the 2nd wicket with Swift scoring 51 off 52. This was later followed by a storm of a bowling spell from Nilay Shah who took 4 wickets giving away just 30 runs in his 8 overs as he took away the entire momentum from the Bad Boys that they had got from scoring big runs at the top at a brisk rate. Bad Boys went on to score 285/9 in their 50 overs.

The Avengers started off really strongly scoring at close to 7 runs per over. Sod Anderson was dismissed for 55 runs with Avengers just 1 run short of 100. They brought up their 100 in the 16th over. A couple of overs later, Fadhl Rukanah got rid of Ahmed Leo for 46 runs. On the first ball of the next over Asad Raza got out for a duck to Naman A7. Avengers were soon 147/4. Kuldip Pargi eventually got out to Franklin Jacob for 5 while Musk fell for 17 off 18 to Fadhl Rukanah. Avengers were now struggling at 200/6. What followed was a brilliant partnership between Talha Hayat and Dylan Smith. A comeback of some good proportions from the Avengers as they now needed 2 runs off the last ball of the innings. Rudi Struwig somehow managed to get through the last ball as a dot ball!!! Avengers unfortunately lost the match by a run. Talha Hayat proved that why he is so important for the side as he scored 88* in dire circumstances for the team. Not to forget the contribution of Dylan Smith as without his innings of 36*, The Avengers would've lost by a bigger margin. One thing is for sure that this team can't be written off easily this season.

BAD BOYS             285/9     50.0 overs
THE AVENGERS         284/6     50.0 overs
 
Bad Boys won by 1 run

Man of the match: Lalit Modi (Bad Boys)

Kumar Vishal Trophy Round 2 Fixtures​

Match 3: The Wild Force v/s Bad Boys, Wild Park
Match 4: The Avengers v/s Royal Mavericks, The Floating Marvel

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Tarak Sai Prathik's special knock​

TPCL Staff.​

19:27 IST​

FC Round 1 Overview​

Match 1: The Wild Force v/s The Avengers, Wild Park

On a pitch that had unpredictable bounce and turn, The Avengers won the toss and elected to bat first. They were soon 13/2. Asad Raza and Sandeep Patil joined hands together and got to the recovery job of The Avengers innings. Both put on 96 for the 3rd wicket. Raza scored 51 while Patil scored 62. Ashutosh Kumar Kuswaha from the Wild Force who was the most expensive bowler in the last OD match single handedly dismissed the top 5 batsman in The Avengers line-up in the 1st match of the FC Competition. Talha Hayat and XAEA Musk added 41 more runs after which The Avengers collapsed from 174/5 to 216 all out. Kushwaha with figures of 5/38 in his 21 overs. The Wild Force ended Day 2 on 120/3 with Indranagar ka Gunda scoring a half century. Nilay Shah bowled an extremely tight spell of bowling but unfortunately on got 1 wicket. On Day 3, The Wildforce batted a little more positively scoring at a rate above 3.5 run per over. Tarak Sai Prathik went on to score 115 as he became the first batsman in TPCL 3.0 to score a century. Wild Force got a lead of 98 runs. Such a lead was an absolute gold on that kind of a surface.

The Avengers kept on losing wickets in the 2nd innings ending Day 4 on 188/5. They just added 24 runs on Day 5 as they got bowled out for 212. Asad Raza and Sandeep Patil once again put up runs in difficult situation for their team scoring 44 & 46 respectively. Sod Anderson scored 47. Qpee Qpee bowled an outstanding spell of 4/50 while Ed Smith also got 3 wickets. 115 was never going to be a difficult target to chased as The Wild Force romped past The Avengers to win the match by 8 wickets. Sai Prathik for his valiant effort with the bat received Man of the Match.

The Avengers        216 & 212
Wild Force          314 & 118/2             
  
Wild Force won by 8 wickets
 
Man of the match: Tarak Sai Prathik

Match 2: Royal Mavericks v/s Bad Boys, Dharamsala Cricket Stadium, Dharamsala

In the beauty of the Himalayas at the Dharamsala Cricket Stadium played the Mavericks against the Bad Boys. Royal Mavericks won the toss and decided to bat first. They put on 57 runs for the 1st wicket. But lost their way and were soon 147/4. No one really put on a good score apart from Van Divine who scored 89. Mavericks got bowled out on 279 on a batting-friendly pitch. Franklin Jacob got 3/68 while Schwanstegger got 3/22. Naman A7 and Kumarjit Biswas got 2 wickets each. Each of the batsmen in the Bad Boys top 4 went on to score in excess of 50. Modi, Nazim, Swith & Genius went on to score 64, 56, 54 & 79 respectively. Bad Boys were cruising along at 226/3. But they lost 7 wickets in the span of 100 runs to get bowled out for 326. Saffron and KV got 3 wickets each. Bigby Wolf went on to concede 77 runs by picking up a wicket. Hirani was economical as he finished with figures of 2/35 of his 15 overs.

The Mavericks batted with a refreshing approach as they put on 135 for the 1st wicket with Kamaraj scoring 73 while Bubere going on to score 109. Akash Singh also scored 48 while Dikshansh scored 58. Garg also scored 50 runs. They put on 451 all out in their 2nd innings giving a target of 405 to chase for the Bad Boys in the 4th innings. Naman A7 took 4/89 for the Bad Boys while bowling in the 2nd innings. Bad Boys batted positively as they were 141/1 at one stage and looked like overahauling the Mavericks score. After losing Umair Nazim for 89 the Bad Boys innings fell apart as they got bowled out for 271. Yash Hirani was the pick of the bowlers taking 3/35. Mavericks won the match by 133 runs.

Royal Mavericks     279 & 451
Bad Boys            326 & 271
  
Royal Mavericks won by 133 runs
 
Man of the match: Ali Bubere

ROUND 2 FIXTURES
BAD BOYS vs THE AVENGERS at LORD'S
THE WILD FORCE vs THE ROYAL MAVERICKS at WILD PARK

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Player Interview: We are a better team than what we have shown- Ahmed Leo​

TPCL Staff.​

16:46 IST​

Interviewer: So I have The Avengers FC skipper Ahmed Leo alongside me
So my first question is, how do you feel after winning your first game as Captain in the TPCL history?
Ahmed Leo: Thank you for having me.
You know, it's a long time coming. I feel like we are a better team than this, I feel like we should've been winning from the start. Having said that I am very happy with this win.
Interviewer: How did you feel about your knock of 141 against the Royal Mavericks?
Ahmed Leo: It is unfortunate that I missed out on 150, but my goal always has been and always will be to make sure the team gets the win, personal achievements are secondary to me as captain.
Interviewer: Do you feel to be a proud Captain after your team became the first ever team to beat Royal Mavericks in a FC game in TPCL history?
Ahmed Leo: Of course I'm proud, I have been since day 1 or being announced as captain of this team. As for being the first team to beat the Royal Mavericks, I believe we are capable of beating any team, we just need to go out and show it as we did in this game.
Interviewer: Say something about Neptune Gaming's spell of 6/56....... Did you see that coming?
Ahmed Leo: That was some unbelievable bowling from Neptune, every once in a while you get to see something special in the game of cricket and that was absolutely one of those spells.
Interviewer: Are you disappointed that your lead pacer Nilay Shah finished with match figures of 2/171 in your only FC win this season? Would you continue backing him after such a performance?
Ahmed Leo: Not in the slightest, every single member of our team worked hard to get us that win, Nilay is one of our best. There is no reason why I would not back him regardless of that performance. I truly believe we have the best group of members on our team, if I could I would put them all in the starting XI, but unfortunately that's not how it works.
Interviewer: Since you are the Captain of The Avengers(previously known as The WestCoast Wildcats) for 2 seasons now, what difference you feel in this side from the last season?
Ahmed Leo: Last season was my first season playing the TPCL and to have been chosen to be the captain I was even more proud, but maybe I was a bit inexperienced at the time. This time around I am a little older but a whole lot wiser.
Interviewer: Do you feel that your team can still make it through to the FC Final?
Ahmed Leo: Of course, I will not give up on our aspirations to not only make it through to the finals but win. I have complete confidence in our team and our players.
Interviewer: Thanks for your time being....... Good luck for the next game!!!!
Ahmed Leo: Thank you for having me.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Kumar Vishal Trophy- A different level of OD Cricket in TPCL history​

TPCL Staff.​

17:10 IST​

The TPCL management at the start of the TPCL 3.0 decided to replace the standard 40-over tournament for the OD Cup with a 50-over format. The decision was to promote the brand of Cricket and have more number of nail bitters than just a regular slam bang approach from the teams. As we have made it to the half-way mark of the tournament it has become clear that the pitches have a huge influence on the quality of Cricket that has been played thus far.

The Avengers who opted for a normal pitch at The Floating Marvel have seen 2 different kind of matches. There was this match between Bad Boys and The Avengers where pacer Nilay Shah wrecked havoc on the Bad Boys team taking 4/30 in his 8 overs and restricted the Bad Boys to just 285 who at one stage looked like scoring 320+. The match eventually resulted in a 1-run victory for the Bad Boys with Talha Hayat playing a classy knock of 85*. This showed that the pitch supported the pacers but it was still easy to bat with a sedate approach trying to hit the bad deliveries and respecting the good bowling. But in the match between Royal Mavericks and The Avengers we saw leg-spinner Neptune Gaming take 4/32 restricting the Mavericks to just 225 with The Avengers chasing down the target in just about 41 overs. And this happened against a Mavericks side that had chased down 338 in their previous match against the Wild Force in Dharamsala's dead pitch.

The Bad Boys though had faced different scenes at the Wild Park against The Wild Force. They were bowled out for just 205 crumbling against Reddy's raw pace as he took 5/40 in his 10 overs. Only Madd Genius and Parth K were able to put up an effort of some resistance scoring 59 & 44* respectively. The Wild Force faced it equally tough to chase their target until Ashutosh Kumar Kushwaha scored a run-a-ball 53* as The Wild Force won the match by 3 wickets. All this happened on a green pitch. In their next match at Wild Park the Wild Force notched up 323/3 on a similar pitch against The Avengers. Tarak Sai Prathik defied all odds on a tough pitch as he went on to score 103*(93). Nilay Shah looked the only bowler able to trouble the Wild Force but he got just 1 wicket in his 10 over spell conceding 48 runs. The Avengers were 24/2 being rattled by Manish Reddy. Talha Hayat got dropped on his 1st ball but he failed to take the advantage as he scored just 36. Appu Kiran and Asad Raza though brought the match under the control of The Avengers. Although, after their dismissals the lower order crumbled again and The Wild Force won the match by 26 runs. Manish & Federico shared 6 wickets between them. Things are pointing more towards the fact that how batting dominated Cricket has become when it comes to limited overs format.

Perhaps, we already saw it coming when The Avengers(formerly known as WestCoast WildCats) scored 316/7 in their 40 overs at the Dodger Stadium against the Xtreme RebelZ which the RebelZ chased it down with 6 wicket and an over to spare.

Let us talk about the match of the TPCL history. Royal Mavericks faced Bad Boys in their 3rd match of the Kumar Vishal Trophy at Dharamsala. Bad Boys won the toss on a dead pitch and elected to bat first. Even after Nazim's early dismissal, his opening partner Lalit Modi did not compromise on his aggression and scored 88(47). At 136/2 in 15 overs, Chris Swift was joined by Madd Genius at the crease. Both these batters put on an incredible 187 run partnership with Swift scoring his first century of the season in ODs. He went on to score 130. Genius also scored 125* while Hauxmann scored 48*(26). Bad Boys added 99 runs in their last 10 overs. Bigby Wolf went on to concede 97 in his 10 overs. Van Divine and Ali Bubere laid a solid foundation helped by aggressive knocks from Kamaraj and Darshan. Bubere got out on 97. With 140 still to win in 99 balls Suman Mohanty and Aakash Singh scored some quick runs and took the Mavericks past 408 eventually chasing the highest ever score in TPCL.

So the question is are we really giving enough to the bowlers to survive or is it the approach of the batters that is favouring the batting?

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Schwanstegger bags a rare record in TPCL history​

TPCL Staff.​

11:55 IST​

Bad Boys all-rounder bagged a rare feat in the T20 Super Slam game against The Wild Force played at the Wild Park. Schwanstegger bowled the last over of the match where The Wild Force needed 6 sixes off the over to tie the match and take it to the Super Over and he eventually took 4 wickets in 4 balls. A rare feat in Cricket which was previously achieved by Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga. Schwanstegger finished with figures of 5/24 in his 3.4 overs as he won the match for the Bad Boys by bowling out The Wild Force for 168 chasing 205.

Bad Boys were playing their 2nd match against The Wild Force in TPCL 3.0 after beating them at Lord's earlier. On a balanced surface at The Wild Park, The Wild Force won the toss and elected to field first. Mildred Ratched vindicated this decision by dismissing the in-form Chris Swift who had scored 2 fifties this season for just 12. But little did they know about the destruction that was going to come from Lalit Modi. Modi was striking at close to 200 as the Bad Boys scored 74/2 in the Powerplay. He was joined by Parth K from the other end. Both put on a 73-run stand for the 3rd wicket. Modi scored 61(28) while Parth K scored 67(45). This was followed by a cameo from Rudi Struwig who scored 31*(18). Bad Boys scored 204/5 in their 20 overs.

Left-arm pacer Franklin Jacob gave Bad Boys an early breakthrough in the very first over dismissing the dangerous Indranagar Ka Gunda. The Wild Force however managed to score 60/1 in the Powerplay with the help of Tarak Sai Prathik and Kushal Choudhury. Rudi Struwig came into the attack and got Kushal out bowled on 16. Sai Prathik however continued batting aggressively as he went past his 50 and was well supported by Mark Kkkk. Naman A7 came to bowl his third over and got 2 wickets as he dismissed Mark Kkkk for 13 while Tarak Sai Prathik for 54. Abdul Rafay got out in the 16th over becoming Schwanstegger's first victim. This was followed by his last over heroics where he took 4 wickets in 4 balls of which 3 were bowled. Bad Boys beat The Wild Force by 36 runs.

Let us hear from Schwanstegger himself:-

Interviewer: So how does it actually feel to take a double hat trick and become the first player to do so across formats in TPCL?
Muller Schwanstegger: It's quite remarkable, really. It's one of those things that never really come across your mind as a player, your priority is to do the best of your abilities and contribute to the team's victory. To achieve something like a 'double hat-trick' is quite unbelievable as a player. I'm super elated with that, especially considering how our team was on top of the game and basically had it in the bag - the double hat-trick was like a rich cherry on top of a luxuriously sweet cake.

Interviewer: Did you expect to ever achieve this feat?
Muller Schwanstegger: Absolutely not - my first priority was to get through the over without causing any irreparable damage to the required equation and put my team on the back foot, but seeing how desperate the opposition's batsmen were getting, it does not come to me as any surprise that they would just throw their hands at every delivery that came their way. Which was quite fortunate for me, since them messing up ended with me claiming four wickets in four deliveries.

Interviewer: At the half way stage in the T20 match against The Wild Force, do you feel you already had more than enough on the board?
Muller Schwanstegger: Against any opposition in almost any situation, a 205-run target would've been more than just a formidable and intimidating total, but the pitch The Wild Force had curated was made for a run-fest and their batting definitely possessed the kind of firepower that would lend themselves to achieving that score and handing us a defeat. Franklin Jacob taking a wicket in the very first over dented their morale considerably, Naman A7 and Rudi Struwig getting top-order wickets as cheaply as they did put The Wild Force in a vulnerable position. If those wickets hadn't come at opportune moments, like they did, The Wild Force would've been well within the reach of that target.

Interviewer: In recent matches we have seen you bat up the order is it because you as a side want to include more variety in the bowling line-up?
Muller Schwanstegger: I am perfectly content in batting wherever my captain needs me to bat, in the previous game where I was made a stand-in captain, I chose to promote myself up the order with the intent of going out there and going hell for leather - as a team, you do need a few players who can put their foot on the paddle from the get-go, and I thought if I could do that then my team would benefit greatly from it. For the most part, I think our bowling is set with Franklin Jacob and Fadhl Rukanah being our lead pacers and Naman A7 being the spin-bowling spearhead, all-rounders such as Me, Rudi Struwig and Ohm Fischer are there to balance the team composition according to the pitch types and the opponent. If our three leading bowlers fire like they are, we wouldn't need to rely on our all-rounders.

Interviewer: Were you disappointed being sidelined in your FC game against Avengers and to add to that you choked against them losing a close game. So was that the reason which made an impact to your T20 performance?
Muller Schwanstegger: On a personal note, it is obviously quite dejecting to be left out of a team where you were previously the vice-captain, but circumstances demanded that we play with an extra pacer, and if that meant I had to be dropped from the team to make room for an extra pacer, then you obviously have to put your team ahead of yourself and do what is needed. I would refrain from using the word choke considering how The Avengers practically did the same thing in their first match in Kumar Vishal Trophy, but to lose after coming so close is disappointing, as one would expect - cricket is a game where you have to constantly think about 'what's next', instead of dwelling in the past, and as a team we showed we can make a comeback even after such a demoralizing defeat.

Interviewer: How confident do you feel of taking away the top spot from The Avengers in the T20 Super Slam and make a direct entry in the Final?
Muller Schwanstegger: The Avengers are a very strong side, as is evident by their performances across all three formats - they are the first team to qualify for the final of a tournament, after they secured the top-spot against us no less, in the Kumar Vishal Trophy - however T20 is a different ball game, and I am confident that we'll come out on top if our recent performances in that particular format are anything to go by.

Interviewer: Which format do you think is your strongest in TPCL and you can eventually win it?
Muller Schwanstegger: Twenty20 cricket is something I enjoy playing the most, and we haven't had the best of luck in our recent Don Bradman Shield and Kumar Vishal Trophy games, losing in both formats to The Avengers, but I think our team gels the best in the shortest format of TPCL 3.0 - because we know what we have to do. We have to beat those pesky little kids and avenge our losses, and I'm sure if we can do that in our next game, we'll have a far easier road to the T20 Super Slam Trophy.

Interviewer: Good luck for the rest of the tournament!!!
Muller Schwanstegger: Cheers!

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

The Avengers makes it to the Kumar Vishal Trophy Final​

TPCL Staff.​

12:49 IST​

The Avengers have become the first team to reach the Final of Kumar Vishal Trophy after beating the Bad Boys at Lord's comprehensively winning the match by 5 wickets in just 38 overs helped by Ahmed Leo's knock of 90-odd.

Being known by the name Wild Cats last season, The Avengers had made a strong start by beating the Mavericks and the Lannisters only to lose momentum at the 2nd half to get eliminated at the end. This year, the start was even poor for them since the were all over the place not being able to build partnerships and and win the match from a winning position while chasing. They also made a blunder of dropping leg-spinner Dylan Smith in their third game against The Wild Force at the Wild Park considering it was a seaming pitch which eventually they lost after conceding 323 and not being able to chase that down. Although in their solitary win against Royal Mavericks they thrashed them at the Floating Marvel chasing down 226 in just 41 overs. And since they had lost their first match by only one run. It added an advantage to their NRR. They really picked themselves up in the 2nd half by beating The Wild Force at the Floating Marvel by 8 wickets chasing 208 in just 31 overs!!! The only thing that was missing for them was runs from the opener Ahmed Leo who averaged just about mid 20s but he eventually scored 94* against the Bad Boys taking The Avengers through to the Finals.

Now they wait for the team who will meet them in the Finals. It could be either the Royal Mavericks or the Bad Boys. Bad Boys would only need to beat The Wild Force and see to it that Royal Mavericks don't beat The Avengers in the last game. When Neptune Gaming was asked which team he would rather like his team to face in the Finals and he was prompt to respond that it shouldn't be the Royal Mavericks since they do know how to win tournaments. He also said that if their former skipper Britanny Bevab was with them this season, he along with Talha would've made their middle order stronger than ever.

Let us hear from Neptune Gaming himself:-

Interviewer: So we've got The Avengers OD skipper along side us, Neptune Gaming
How do you feel to be leading The Avengers?
Neptune Gaming: It's an awesome experience, did not expect to be offered the captaincy at all especially since I'm relatively new to the site as a whole. Have enjoyed it so much, always was interested in managing/selection of cricket teams and this has been a great chance to test that.

Interviewer: Does it feel proud to be the first team to qualify for the Kumar Vishal Trophy Finals after being all over the place in your last season as a team?
Neptune Gaming: Definitely feels great, we have been pretty consistent in the OD format which is heartening. Last season was a bit of a disappointment, we realistically did not live up to the pre season hype in any format.

Interviewer: We have seen that The Avengers as a team don't often make changes to their playing XI this season, so how have you guys been so spot on with your selections?
Neptune Gaming: Think the warmup game definitely helped, playing the players we thought might be fringe players for us helped us see who warranted a spot in the team when the real competition started. Backing players also helped, for example we gave Ahmed an extended run this season and he played a fantastic innings last match. Every player who was dropped from the team after round 4 had played atleast 3 matches.

Interviewer: Tell us something about your camaraderie amongst your team mates in The Avengers dressing room.
Neptune Gaming: I think its fair to say that we have been the most active team over the last 2 seasons. The whole team gets along very well, its very pleasing to see all the discussion and jokes in the dressing room as it adds some fun to the whole tournament when you are involved with a team like that.

Interviewer: How important do you think Talha Hayat's knock of 88* in your opening game of the Kumar Vishal Trophy against the Bad Boys was and how much it has impacted the team's performance?
Neptune Gaming: He really has been the face of the Avengers, just does not disappoint in any format. That particular knock was just incredible too, the game really should have been over when we were 6 down but very few people could have predicted the change of the tempo of his innings after being forced to play anchor. That 20 run over against Naman will definitely be a highlight of the Kumar Vishal trophy.

Interviewer: Due to the pandemic situation, one of your best players from the last season Brittany Bevab couldn't participate in the league this season so how much of an impact it made to your side? Also in the form that Talha is in this season how much strength could both those players added to your middle order?
Neptune Gaming: Losing the captain and one of our star performers was a very big blow to our campaign for sure. Our approach in the auction would have been different if he had been a part of our team , since the owners were forced to buy a lot of players who could fit the role that he played for us last season. Talha + Bevab would singlehandedly make our middle order the strongest in the league, both have been clutch for us and have delivered when the pressure was on.

Interviewer: Who would you rather play in the Finals? Royal Mavericks or Bad Boys?
Neptune Gaming: Really hard to separate the two but at this moment, I would go with Bad Boys since the Royal Mavericks look in good form and they know how to win trophies

Interviewer: Good luck for the Finals.
Neptune Gaming: Thanks, has been fun to do this interview and hopefully we can go all the way this season.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Player Interview: Wild Force OD Captain on being eliminated from Kumar Vishal Trophy​

TPCL Staff.​

12:14 IST​

Interviewer: So I've got The Wild Force OD Captain alongside me.

It was very unfortunate to hear that The Wild Force are no longer a part of the Kumar Vishal Trophy. So TSP what actually went wrong for you guys?
TS Prathik: Yeah, it's really sad, we were out of contention even before the league stage was over, we actually had a very good first half, we managed to win 2 of 3 games we played.
Our biggest concern in KVT was the batting department, it didn't live up to the expectations. even the last game we played, had there been a 30-40 odd run partnership at the top, that would have made a difference in the result. Luck wasn't in our favor, have to accept and move on.

Interviewer: You've been a very consistent run scorer all throughout for the Wild Force so does it add to the disappointment that you were eliminated?
TS Prathik: Yes, a bit disappointed, I basically love batting in tough situations, it tends to bring out the best, and being there in the middle for a long time, the bowlers' reaction gives a motivation to bat more longer and when you rewind back these memories and check out the scoreboard when you see your name as the highest scorer in the innings, it actually gives a high feeling, But I should partly blame myself, I should have been there in the middle for a few more overs every single time, the batsman is having their tough patch, me as a batsman should have played more responsibly and guide ourself to victory. hopefully will try to correct that from my part in the other games.

Interviewer: How much important Manish Reddy's experience as a lead pacer is to your side?
TS Prathik: Manish has been our best bowler across all formats, this one being my debut TPCL season, conversations with him helped me both as a captain and batsman. The kind of bowler would like to have in team for any tourney.

Interviewer: Do you think that a little more support to you and Manish would've helped a team a little better?
TS Prathik: Yeah, felt a bit. But can't blame anyone, all the players are equally good and skilled, each player will have their off-form phase, we are unlucky that phase happened during this league. Have to respect them and back them up and motivate them during this phase and maybe in an alternate timeline, we are at the top, with them performing brilliantly and myself failing miserably. We should simply accept our fate and move ahead.

Interviewer: How much do you rate those unbelievable turn around knocks from Ashutosh Kumar Kushwaha so far in the tournament?
TS Prathik: Very high, very much higher. Every single time we are on the verge of losing it big, AK comes to the rescue, be it bowling or batting, he turns things around.

Interviewer: Kushal Choudhary was doing a great job as a middle order batsman for you so why did you feel like moving him to the top of the order?
TS Prathik: I really don't have an answer for this, few moves as a captain work out really well and make a big impact, and few don't. This one comes under the later one.

Interviewer: Markkk did not have a great season with the bat averaging just 13.00 so did his runs that dry up make an impact on the overall performance of the team?
TS Prathik: Not really, this sport is a team game, and everyone in the team has to contribute to the win, to win the trophy, and we as a team failed in doing that.

Interviewer: How do you rate your knock against The Avengers at the Wild Park on a tough batting surface?
TS Prathik: I'm a little shy type when people ask about my knocks, but both the hundreds I've got in TPCL will cherish them for a longer period.

Interviewer: What message would you like to give to your team?
TS Prathik: Hey, all the Wild Force fans out there, we're sorry we couldn't bring out the trophy, our season went totally opposite to our imagination. We'll try to put up a good fight in our last KVT game and finish it off on a positive note and the remaining two formats, We know we are in a do-or-die position. We'll play with the same Wild Force spirit. Thank you all for your support and apologies for not reaching out to your expectations.

And to our teammates, no pressure of losing in our last game, Let's give out our best and finish it off in a positive 'W' on the board and not be ashamed of being last on the table, it happens sometimes, every team has its low phase and I know we all will bounce back and put on a better fight next year.

All the best to the remaining teams, may the best one wins <3

Interviewer: Hard luck TSP hope you sign off the tournament with a win.
TS Prathik: Thank You for this chat, it was great talking with you, hope to catch up soon.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Player Interview: We will try to enjoy this time & win the Kumar Vishal Trophy _Kumarjit Biswas​

TPCL Staff.​

13:04 IST​

Interviwer: So I've got someone who is on the sidelines of the Kumar Vishal Trophy but is a key member in the Bradman Shield for the Bad Boys
So Kumarjit, how does it feel to be in the Final after all that difficulty you guys faced throughout the tournament?
Kumarjit: We love difficulties. Everyone in our team is a genuine match winner. It really feels good. Vishal was in our team last year, we'll win this for him. But, we need to focus on the final now. We are hungry for the ultimate tittle.

Interviwer: Your side seems to bounce back from situations that are completely against them so what special does this side have that the other sides don't have?
Kumarjit: Everything is special about The Bad Boys. Strong will power and determination are the our key aspect for our bounce back in this tournament. Hope word is not in our dictionary. We love to do practice with perfection. Result is not in our hand, so keep this process on. That's why we are the best.

Interviwer: How much chance did you give yourselves as a team to reach the finals after losing 2 back to back matches especially the Dharamsala game in the first half?
Kumarjit: Negative emotions are very deadly. Nobody likes to lose. But, confidence is our super power. Losing is also a part of the game. We knew that, our team will learn from those failures & Now, we are in the finals. Dharmashala game was an absolutely treat for the cricket lovers.

Interviwer: Tell us something about the frustration that your team had to deal with when they lost the match defending 409 against the Royal Mavericks at Dharamsala?
Kumarjit: Royal Mavericks batted really well in the second ininings. Our bowlers tried their best. There was nothing for the spinners in that pitch. The main reason for my frustration was....some mysterious reason, I didn't finished my overs.

Interviwer: Did the opening game against The Avengers give you guys the belief that you can bounce back at any situation in a match?
Kumarjit: Yes. Avengers are not a mediocre side. We believe in our setup. For this, belief is our real friend. We never lose hope. Our will power is high as The Mount Everest now.

Interviwer: Bad Boys OD Captain's form is a bit of a worry, so you expect him to fire in the Finals?
Kumarjit: He will play. He is practicing really hard for the final. He is quite unlucky this season. But, we all know this capablities. He is a very prime member of our team. I'm confident that, he will score big on the final like Gilly. (referring 2007 WC Final)

Interviwer: Who is the biggest threat in The Avengers team that you need to tackle in the Finals?
Kumarjit: The Fab Four - Asad, Talha, Mohshin & Nilay. We need to stop them. (more of a T20 approach considering Sod Anderson and Neptune Gaming have outperformed Asad & Mohsin in ODs)

Interviwer: Since The Floating Marvel gives a little bit of help to the spinners so would you expect yourself to be in the XI?
Kumarjit: It's upto the skipper now. I am really waiting for the golden opportunity.

Interviwer: Bad Boys don't seem to have the best of records while playing away from the home so does that add to the pressure of playing in the Final?
Kumarjit: Our team is ready for this challenge. Present moment is vital. We will try to enjoy this time & win the Kumar Vishal Trophy.

Interviwer: Are you confident of winning the Kumar Vishal Trophy Final?
Kumarjit: Yes. We love to create the history.
We are confident. We will create the history on floating marvel. Bad Boys will win.

Interviwer: Good Luck for the Finals Kumarjit!!!!
Kumarjit: Thanks a lot

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Kumar Vishal Trophy Final Pre-Match Analysis​

TPCL Staff.​

19:44 IST​

After 6 Rounds of OD matches in the Kumar Vishal Trophy, we are now moving towards the final-leg of the tournament. The Avengers have not only managed to make it to the Finals but have also topped the standings having the right to host the Finals. Bad Boys after beating The Wild Force in their last match of group stage have qualified for the Finals by the virtue of better NRR after the Royal Mavericks failed to beat The Avengers and finishing on equal points with the Bad Boys. Let us have a look at the team standings of the Kumar Vishal Trophy.

Q	#	TEAMS	MATCHES	WON	TIED	LOST	NRR	POINTS
	1	THE AVENGERS(Q)	6	4	0	2	0.828	12
	2	BAD BOYS(Q)	6	3	0	3	-0.033	9
	3	ROYAL MAVERICKS	6	3	0	3	-0.316	9
	4	THE WILD FORCE	6	2	0	4	-0.439	6

​

Win= 3 points Tied/No result= 1 point​

So it becomes clear from the standings that The Avengers have well and truly dominated the Kumar Vishal Trophy exceeding the expectations of the people. Although, they did not begin the tournament in the manner they would liked winning only 1 of their 3 matches in the 1st half of the tournament. They lost by a run in their opening game to the Bad Boys and 26 runs to The Wild Force. They won all their matches in the 2nd half to top the points table. However, all was not going that well for the Bad Boys either as they were bowled out for 205 in their 2nd game to the Wild Force failing to avoid the storm of a spell from Manish Reddy who took 5/40 eventually failing to defend their target. They had also failed to defend a mammoth score 408 in their next match.

The Average score:

The average score while batting first in TPCL 3.0 is 265 and if we look at score all around the tournament a minimum score of 276 is to be considered if the teams are needed to defend totals. Although this figure is a little inflated due to that 409-chase by the Royal Mavericks. Now, since the final is going to be held at The Floating Marvel we should be more concerned about the average scores at The Floating Marvel.

The average score batting first at The Floating Marvel is just 241 which is slightly lower than the tournament average more so due to the dead track at Dharamsala. But no score below 285 has been defended at this ground. So chasing totals is something that is to be considered while playing at this venue.

The winning formula:

Now, to simplify things chasing will be the right thing to do going forward. Out of the 12 matches so far held during the Kumar Vishal Trophy, 9 matches were won chasing totals. The Avengers have won all their games chasing but there is a complication here, Bad Boys as mentioned earlier had beaten The Avengers by a run at The Floating Marvel so there doesn't seem to be a real need for them to be batting second but it certainly adds to their advantage since The Avengers are yet to bowl second in the tournament thus far.

A balanced pitch at the Floating Marvel suggests that it would be right to stock up the side with as many all-rounders as possible. The seamers though seem to take a better advantage of this surface. The main thing for the batting sides is to score well in Powerplay and at the death while not necessarily compromising on runs in the middle overs. A stable middle order can definitely help.

Head-to-Head records:

Teams	The Avengers	Bad Boys
Matches Won (In 2 matches)	1	1

Nothing much to seperate between both these sides as both teams have won 1 match each in the 2 games between them.

Home-Away records:

THE AVENGERS

STATS	MATCHES	WON	TIED	LOST	Win%
Home	9	6	0	3	66.67
Overall	18	9	0	9	50.00

BAD BOYS

Stats​	Matches​	Won​	Tied​	Lost​	Win%​
Away​	3​	1​	0​	2​	33.33​
Overall​	6​	3​	0​	3​	50.00​

​

THE AVENGERS in TPCL 3.0

STATS	MATCHES	WON	TIED	LOST	Win%
Home	3	2	0	1	66.67
Overall	6	4	0	2	66.67

From the records, it becomes clear that The Avengers have dominated their oppositions at home right since their introduction in the TPCL and poor away record for Bad Boys makes The Avengers favourites to some extent for the Finals.

Top Performers:

Chris Swift is the leading run-scorer for the Bad Boys scoring 276 runs @46.00, followed by Madd Genius who scored 219 runs @91.63. Lalit Modi have been the real X-factor in the Bad Boys batting line-up since he has a strike rate of 132.92 scoring 219 runs @35.67. Muller Schwanstegger's promotion up the order have worked well for the Bad Boys since he is averaging 76 with the bat but his strike rate of 78.35 is worrisome for them.

On the other hand Talha Hayat is the 2nd highest run scorer of the tournament and the highest for The Avengers scoring 327 runs @81.75 followed by Sod Anderson who scored 268 runs @53.60 while Asad Raza has scored 231 runs 38.50 but an impressive strike rate of 108.45. But let us not forget Appu Kiran who has scored 173 runs @43.25 with a strike rate of 98.86 with the best of 90 who is a key in The Avengers middle order.

If we look at the bowlers the Captain and the vice-Captain of The Avengers Neptune Gaming & Nilay Shah have taken 9 & 12 wickets respectively. Dylan Smith though have taken 10 wickets at a better average of just 23 and a better economy of 4.84. Under rated guy he is does Dylan!!!!!

Franklin Jacob is the leading wicket-taker of the Kumar Vishal Trophy taking 14 wickets @21.00 while Fadhl Rukunah is equally impressive taking 9 wickets. Ohm Fischer though has bettered Fadhl Rukunah with an average of 25.83 and an economy of 4.84 but has taken only 6 wickets.

Thorn in the Fleshes:

In the 2 matches between these 2 sides that are played so far few players have really hurted their oppositions

Nilay Shah have taken 6 wickets against the Bad Boys at an unreal average of 10!!!! On the other hand, Fadhl Rukunah have ensured that he hasn't let The Avengers score easily against him as he has achieved a really good economy of 4.38. Both bowlers finished with match figures of 4/30 and 3/42 respectively in the opening game of the tournament and here they are playing in the Finals!!!!

Ahmed Leo hasn't looked in the best of the forms in the Kumar Vishal Trophy but has somehow managed to average 139 against Bad Boys with best of 94* at Lord's. Talha have been superb as well since he scored 88* in the lost cause for The Avengers but replied with a match-winning 46 at Lord's. Rudi Struwig averages an incredible 86 against the Avengers followed by Chris Swift's average of 43.

Kings of Floating Marvel:

Few players really enjoy playing at a particular venue so let us have a look at who enjoys playing at The Floating Marvel

The first name that comes up is that of Lalit Modi who scored 92 runs in just 69 deliveries really taking apart The Avengers bowling line-up as he proved to be the difference in that game. If Modi did this in one game, Sod Anderson did this consistently as he scored 226 runs averaging 113 with a couple of 80-odd knocks.

Nilay Shah have taken 10 wickets at this venue averaging 12.9 watch out Bad Boys he takes a wicket every 10 runs against your side and once in every 2 overs!!!! Fadhl-Franklin duo will need to better him as they share 4 wickets between them at this venue. The leg-spinners in Neptune & Dylan have used the slowness of this track to their effect taking 5 & 8 wickets respectively.

Bowling at The Floating Marvel:

Pace bowlers have taken 25 wickets in 3 matches averaging 34.88 while spinners have managed to pick 17 wickets at a better average of 32.08. But economy wise pacers have done better at this venue(5.39 as compared to 5.40).

Batting at Floating Marvel:

The average run-rate at this venue is 5.57 runs per over with a batting average of 33.79. So it's the bowlers who win you matches at this venue.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Bradman Shield Trophy Finals Pre-Match Analysis​

TPCL Staff.​

19:59 IST​

It's time for a clash between 2 of the oldest franchises in TPCL this season. 2 sides that would battle it out at The Floating Marvel for atleast 2 matches of 5 gruelling days of Cricket. Mind you, if those 2 matches fail to separate these sides we might even have the third one!!! Royal Mavericks are the defending Champions of the FC tournament in TPCL while Avengers (Formerly known as Son of Pitches/WestCoast WildCats) have made it to the Finals for the 2nd time after they lost to the Lannisters in TPCL 1. The Avengers were winless in their last tournament in FC matches as they struggled to put together the right combination required. Ahmed Leo (@ahmedleo414 ) have continued to Captain The Avengers and have ignited a new spirit in this sides especially with his bat where he has contributed with the runs. And I can tell you from my experience that neither team wants to give up. A side will look to defend their title while the other is looking to achieve something after a 2-year drought.

1. Team Standings

​

​

​

	Q	#	TEAMS	MATCHES	WON	DRAWN	TIED	LOST	BAT POINTS	BOWL POINTS	TOTAL POINTS
		1	THE AVENGERS(Q)	6	3	1	0	2	18	13	77
		2	ROYAL MAVERICKS(Q)	6	3	1	0	2	17	13	76
		3	THE WILD FORCE	6	2	2	0	2	11	18	65
		4	BAD BOYS	6	2	0	0	4	7	16	51

The Avengers have held on to the first spot with 77 points as they have earned the right to host Finals just like TPCL 1 where they lost only 1 match. It's unbelievable to see them at the top as they were last with just 6 points with them in their first 2 games. It says a lot about their spirit that they've learned to rise despite being at their worst and that is what good teams do. Royal Mavericks are no weak team either. They have been unbeaten all throughout the last tournament and have gone down fighting in the 2 matches they have lost this season. Although, both matches that they lost are against The Avengers. So to beat them at their home is going to be a daunting task. The new Captain of Royal Mavericks Van Divine who just took over from Yash Hirani hasn't looked in best of forms as he hasn't scored as consistently as he did in the last season which is a bit of a worry for them. But they still look good enough to defend their title.

2. Average scores

The average 1st innings score batting first in the TPCL 3.0 is 301 while it becomes 326 when batting second. So it means there are more chances of achieving the first innings lead if you are bowling first. The average 1st innings score batting first at The Floating Marvel is 417 which is 116 runs more than the overall average. It means the sides that bat better have a great advantage over here. The highest first innings scores batting first and batting second have come at the Floating Marvel.

​	Score​	Team​	Opposition​
Highest 1st innings score (Bat first)​	500/10​	The Avengers​	Bad Boys​
Highest 1st innings score (Bowl first)​	578/10​	The Wild Force​	The Avengers​

The Avengers batted first on 2 occasions at The Floating Marvel and scored 500 & a below par 376 respectively. Royal Mavericks scored 375 batting first in their only match at The Floating Marvel. Both 376 & 375 failed to give a win to either sides which makes it clear that you need a minimum of 400 to win. The overall first innings score batting first for The Avengers is 323 while for Royal Mavericks it is 357. Avengers do better batting second scoring an average of 455. Royal Mavericks have batted 2nd only once in the entire tournament and they had scored 280 all out at Lord's which happens to be the highest score at that venue in TPCL.

On an average, the first innings score for Avengers is 367 while for Royal Mavericks it is 343.

3. Bowling

Avengers when they bat first they conceded 351 on average while bowling first this increase to 434. It explains us 2 things- 1) The Avengers lack that guile in their bowling, 2) Their batting is strong enough for them to depend on!

Royal Mavericks concedes 379 on average when batting first. This is similar to the average first innings score conceded by Avengers. Royal Mavericks though concedes an average first innings score of 357.

4. Pace-Spin Comparison

a) Bowling averages in TPCL 3.0

Averages​	Pace​	Spin​
The Avengers​	31.93​	31.56​
Royal Mavericks​	40.48​	25.50​
Overall​	38.49​	25.32​

The Avengers in TPCL 3.0 have done equally well in both bowling departments unlike the Royal Mavericks who seem to struggle with their pace bowling. The extreme difference in the overall bowling averages in TPCL 3.0 is solely because of Naman A7 and the Lord's surface.

b) Bowling averages at The Floating Marvel

Averages​	Pace​	Spin​
The Avengers​	52.26​	38.21​
Royal Mavericks​	38.94​	41.74​

Ironically, Avengers pacers have struggled at home but Royal Mavericks have used the surface better as they don't average close to 50 and both spin and pace were equally effective in their one-off match at The Floating Marvel.

c) Bowling averages head-to-head in TPCL 3.0

Averages​	Pace​	Spin​
Avengers bowlers v/s Royal Mavericks batsmen​	51.27​	30.08​
Royal Mavericks bowlers v/s Avengers batsmen​	45.55​	43.67​

Now we get a clearer picture in about both these teams. Spin is the way to go for The Avengers while Royal Mavericks only need to bat better.

5. Wickets

Wickets​	Pace​	Spin​
Avengers in TPCL 3.0​	46​	48​
Royal Mavericks TPCL 3.0​	54​	56​
Avengers at Floating Marvel​	26​	24​
Royal Mavericks at Floating Marvel​	10​	7​
Overall TPCL 3.0​	181​	252​
Overall at Floating Marvel​	52​	52​

Spinners have clearly dominated the pacers in TPCL 3.0 but when we come to The Floating Marvel we see that both bowlers have equally contributed. But when we look at the averages, it becomes clear that spinners do come into the game. The average batting scores makes it clear that, Floating Marvel initially supports the batsman but it suddenly starts turning square along with unpredictable bounce and reverse swing make their way in the game. Reminds me of the surface at The Oval in recent years.

6. Top Performers

a) The Avengers (Batting)

Name​	Runs​	Average​	SR​	50/100​	H/S​
Sanjeev Patil​	​ 591​	​ 49.25​	​ 54.93​	5/0​	​ 86​
Ahmed Leo​	​ 541​	​ 45.08​	​ 82.34​	1/2​	​ 141​
Asad Raza​	​ 536​	​ 44.67​	​ 57.70​	4/1​	​ 140​
Talha Hayat​	​ 525​	​ 47.73​	​ 65.14​	5/0​	​ 90​
Sod Anderson​	​ 496​	​ 41.33​	​ 63.27​	3/1​	​ 108​

4 of the top 5 run-scorers of The Avengers have scored 520+ runs. They certainly are batting heavy on surfaces that suit them!!!!

b) Royal Mavericks (Batting)

Name	Runs	Average	SR	50/100	H/S
Dikshansh Darshan​	​ 607​	​ 55.18​	​ 53.29​	3/2​	​ 111​
Gokul Raj Kamaraj​	​ 582​	​ 48.50​	​ 58.49​	3/2​	​ 103​
Ali Bubere​	​ 533​	​ 44.42​	​ 51.70​	3/1​	​ 109​
Aakash Singh​	​ 483​	​ 40.25​	​ 57.43​	1/1​	​ 115​
Van Divine​	​ 380​	​ 31.67​	​ 54.68​	2/0​	​ 89​

3 of the top 5 have scord 530+, very much similar to The Avengers. Van Divine have featured in this list but the skipper's form off-late is a worry. Leading run-scorer for TPCL 3.0 features in this list too!!! Avengers need to bowl well atleast to Dikshansh.

c) The Avengers (Bowling)

Name​	Wickets​	Average​	SR​	BBI​	Economy​
Neptune Gaming​	​ 25​	​ 27.72​	​ 45.48​	6/56​	3.66​
Dylan Smith​	​ 17​	​ 41.24​	​ 80.18​	5/65​	3.09​
Nilay Shah​	​ 17​	​ 45.47​	​ 82.29​	3/32​	3.32​
Mohsin 7827​	​ 16​	​ 34.63​	​ 61.75​	4/38​	3.36​

Neptune Gaming have proved to be real threat to each and every team just like Naman A7. A strike-rate of 45 means he bundles out opposition quickly. A pure wicket-taking bowler he is!!! Nilay Shah hasn't been as wicket taking though but he does bowl economical spells on most of the days. Maybe he should continue to bowl those long spells for the other bowlers to pluck wickets from the other end.

d) Royal Mavericks (Bowling)

Name​	Wickets​	Average​	SR​	BBI​	Economy​
Bigby Wolf​	​ 27​	​ 31.04​	​ 54.22​	4/57​	3.43​
Princess Saffron​	​ 21​	​ 18.38​	​ 41.24​	4/33​	2.67​
Sanchit Garg​	​ 16​	​ 31.69​	​ 66.75​	4/43​	2.85​
Sujith Kumar​	​ 16​	​ 21.19​	​ 43.19​	4/94​	2.94​

Princess Saffron have missed out on a couple of matches but she has delivered at almost every opportunity. Bigby Wolf have been quite consistent too. Look at those economy of the spinners though. Impressive!!!!

7. Thorn in Fleshes

a) Avengers (Batting)

Name​	Runs​	Average​	SR​	50/100​	H/S​
Ahmed Leo​	​ 349​	​ 87.25​	​ 62.88​	0/2​	​ 141​
Sanjeev Patil​	​ 257​	​ 64.25​	​ 75.59​	4/0​	​ 77​
Talha Hayat​	​ 186​	​ 62.00​	​ 81.58​	2/0​	​ 81​
Asad Raza​	​ 178​	​ 44.50​	​ 72.36​	2/0​	​ 67​
Sod Anderson​	​ 164​	​ 41.00​	​ 71.62​	2/0​	​ 67​

Entire top 5 of Avengers have featured in this list. They do love the Mavericks bowling a lot. Ahmed Leo have scored a hundred in both games against Royal Mavericks.

b) Avengers (Bowling)

Name​	Wickets​	Average​	SR​	BBI​	Economy​
Neptune Gaming​	​ 13​	​ 27.15​	​ 43.46​	6/56​	3.75​
Dylan Smith​	​ 12​	​ 24.92​	​ 49.58​	5/65​	3.02​
Mohsin 7827​	​ 9​	​ 38.00​	​ 48.17​	4/38​	3.55​

More than 50% wickets of all these bowlers have come against Royal Mavericks. Both departments clearly dominated by the Avengers.

c) Royal Mavericks (Batting)

Name​	Runs​	Average​	SR​	50/100​	H/S​
Dikshansh Darshan​	​ 289​	​ 72.75​	​ 54.02​	0/2​	​ 111​
Gokul Raj Kamaraj​	​ 278​	​ 69.50​	​ 78.97​	2/1​	​ 103​
Aakash Singh​	​ 188​	​ 47.00​	​ 64.60​	0/1​	​ 115​

Dikshansh Darshan have done what Ahmed Leo did. Hundreds in both matches!!! But the worrying sign is that they are over-reliant on Darshan and Kamaraj.

d) Royal Mavericks (Bowling)

Name​	Wickets​	Average​	SR​	BBI​	Economy​
Bigby Wolf​	​ 10​	​ 28.70​	​ 40.58​	4/57​	3.54​
Prabhul KV​	​ 6​	​ 46.17​	​ 75.00​	2/36​	3.69​
Sujith Kumar​	​ 5​	​ 31.80​	​ 48.40​	4/94​	3.94​
Sanchit Garg​	​ 5​	​ 43.20​	​ 71.20​	3/126​	3.62​

Getting wickets and being economical, both jobs are performed by Bigby Wolf. He is clearly the best pacer in this tournament. Princess Saffron not featuring in this list makes one wonder about her effectiveness on batting friendly surfaces with little or no turn!

8. Floating Marvel specialists

a) Avengers (Batting)

Name​	Runs​	Average​	SR​	50/100​	H/S​
Asad Raza​	​ 355​	​ 59.17​	​ 66.60​	2/1​	​ 140​
Talha Hayat​	​ 312​	​ 62.40​	​ 76.47​	4/0​	​ 90​
Sanjeev Patil​	​ 278​	​ 46.33​	​ 68.14​	3/0​	​ 80​
Sod Anderson​	​ 274​	​ 45.67​	​ 80.12​	1/1​	​ 108​
Ahmed Leo​	​ 262​	​ 43.67​	​ 65.01​	0/1​	​ 141​

Raza and Talha being extremely consistent while Sod just fresh from a century. The Avengers batting line-up have enjoyed dominating bowlers at home.

b) Avengers (Bowling)

Name​	Wickets​	Average​	SR​	BBI​	Economy​
Neptune Gaming​	​ 15​	​ 24.53​	​ 40.47​	6/56​	3.64​
Mohsin 7827​	​ 12​	​ 26.33​	​ 43.87​	4/38​	2.88​
Nilay Shah​	​ 9​	​ 50.00​	​ 71.33​	3/95​	4.21​

Although he has taken 17 wickets and 9 of them against Mavericks at home, Shah's average, strike-rate and economy have went for a toss. Points to the fact that he is a hit-the-deck bowler who doesn't swing the ball much. Mavericks might target him in the Finals.

c) Royal Mavericks(Batting)

Name​	Runs​	Average​	SR​	50/100​	H/S​
Dikshansh Darshan​	​ 154​	​ 77.00​	​ 69.06​	1/0​	​ 111​
Gokulraj Kamaraj​	​ 152​	​ 76.00​	​ 76.00​	2/0​	​ 90​
Van Divine​	​ 83​	​ 41.50​	​ 60.14​	1/0​	​ 53​

Van Divine's average have been better at The Floating Marvel, so maybe he can finally deliver in the final and he would be confident to. The responsibility does lie on the skipper. Darshan and Kamaraj are the constants here.

d) Royal Mavericks (Bowling)

Name​	Wickets​	Average​	SR​	BBI​	Economy​
Bigby Wolf​	​ 6​	​ 17.83​	​ 36.00​	4/57​	3.57​
Sujith Kumar​	​ 5​	​ 31.80​	​ 48.40​	4/94​	3.94​

Well this Wolf is really Wild always looking for wickets. Watch out Avengers, he is hunting for your blood!!!!!

9. Head-to-Head records

a) Overall

Avengers Won​	Royal Mavericks Won​
2​	2​

b) TPCL 3.0

Avengers Won​	Royal Mavericks Won​
2​	0​

Royal Mavericks dominated the last season while Avengers are dominating in this season. The stakes are in favour of The Avengers and they should win in a dominating fashion. But Royal Mavericks could bring out their best just when it matters since they are defending Champions for a reason!!! Do not miss this epic encounter!!!!!

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Bad Boys go 1 up in the Finals!!!​

​

TPCL Staff.​

12:50 IST​

The Bad Boys were back to the Floating Marvel where they played their first match of the Kumar Vishal Trophy in TPCL 3.0 against the home side The Avengers in the first of 3 Finals.

Bad Boys won the toss and elected to bat first. A bold call considering that most of the matches in the Kumar Vishal Trophy had won chasing. They actually batted first in that opening game and eventually won by 1 run. So they tried to replicate that.

Parth K who had been opening the batting since the Round 3 made it count this time. He struck a boundary off X Æ A-12 Musk on the very first ball of the match. He scored the 2nd boundary of the over on the 5th delivery. Musk went for 10 in the very first over and it released the nerves of the Bad Boys team. Avengers were straight away put under pressure.

Parth was particularly aggressive against Musk while tried to respect the good bowling from Mohsin and Nilay.

The Avengers made another big mistake when they dropped Parth on 37. Lalit Modi wasn't as fluent in his strokeplay and neither he tried to dominate the bowling but was just trying to stay at the crease. The wicket had no demons, it just looked flat from the outset. Parth K reached his 50 from just 37 balls!!

There was another catch of Parth that was put down by Musk when he was batting on 65 and that seemed to sum up the day for the Avengers. Modi opened his arms against Harry Brookes as he hit a six. But he got out caught on the boundary by Shah in the next over bowled by Brookes as he scored 67 off 101 balls. Parth K & Lalit Modi added 167 for the 1st wicket partnership.

Parth K brought up his century in 104 balls. Bad Boys were 219/1 in 40 overs and looked good for a 300+ score. Chris Swift got out to Nilay Shah before he actually got going. Schwanstegger got hit on the head the very first delivery he faced from Shah. He got out in Shah's next over.

Parth K was using every opportunity he got to score as quickly as possible. He picked the Avengers skipper Neptune Gaming on the attack. But he eventually got out on the last ball of the innings on 148. Bad Boys would've disappointed as they just scored 289/3 in their 50 overs with only 70 coming off the last 10 overs.

Chasing 290, Avengers got off to a flier as they scored 29/0 in 4 overs. Franklin Jacob got Sod Anderson on 13. Not what the Avengers would've liked since he was in a red hot form all through the tournament. Jacob got 3 more wickets as The Avengers struggled all throughout the innings. Jacob got Sod, Asad, Talha & Kiran all of whom have been really consistent and reliable for The Avengers.

Bad Boys bowled out the Avengers for 159 runs and won the first Final by 130 runs as they went 1 up in the series.

Ahmed Leo carried the bat for the Avengers as he scored 94 runs!!! One might think had the Avengers not dropped Parth K and he batsmen would've supported Leo the result would've been different.

But anyways, the Bad Boys came up with a dominating performance in the Finals as they came up with the biggest victory in TPCL Finals.

Bad Boys- 289/3 (50 overs)
Avengers- 159 (33.1 overs)

Bad Boys won by 130 runs
Man of the Match: Parth K(Bad Boys)

Bad Boys key to win

Score more than 285-
Don't lose wickets in bulk to Nilay Shah-
Put on a big openingpartnership-
Fadhl-Franklin should better Nilay Shah-
Get Sod, Talha and Asad early-
Get Leo early-

Avengers key to win

Concede less than 240-
Get earlywickets-
Nilay Shah to get 2 or more wickets-
Either of Sod Anderson, Talha Hayat or Asad Raza to score 50+ -
Ahmed Leo to bat long-

Bad Boys did almost everything right but they let Ahmed Leo bat longer which can comeback to haunt them since Ahmed is a big match player. The Avengers just had a forgettable day but they found their positives in Nilay Shah finding back his form while Ahmed Leo scoring big runs for them.

The Avengers are struggling to get early wickets and X Æ A-12 Musk's form is a bit worrisome for them. But it seems that they wouldn't want to look past him since Appu Kiran hasn't received the mid-season bonus and Musk is the only specialist with an upgrade available to them. We will find that out and see in the next match!!!!

With the kind of performance The Avengers have shown in the first Finals, Bad Boys seem to be running away with the Kumar Vishal Trophy and The Avengers need something special!!!!

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Player Interivew: Opening, middle order or not playing.. I will trust myself and the team management do right for the team_ Parth K​

​

TPCL Staff.​

15:24 IST​

Interviewer: So I have got the Bad Boys owner Parth K alongside me
So Parth K how does it feel to be winning the first of the 3 Finals against the Avengers?
Parth K: It feels great, we are a bunch of bad boys doing bad stuff.. for us to get that attitude of getting bad on the field matters as well. The thrashing shows how Badly we wanted that win.

Interviewer: Did you trust yourself to deliver as an opener after you were moved from the middle order to open the batting?
Parth K: Opening, middle order or not playing.. I will trust myself and the team management do right for the team.

Interviewer: How was the feeling before the Final?
Parth K: We were nervous, but we were ready as well!

Interviewer: You played the first ball in the Final and got yourself a boundary so did that calm those nerves a bit?
Parth K: Oh definitely, that eases all the nerves one can have.

Interviewer: How was it playing the initial spell from the trio Musk, Mohsin and Nilay? You seemed to be aggressive to Musk while tried to play out Mohsin and Nilay, why is that so?
Parth K: Nilay is a smart bowler, Mohsin bowls pretty tight as well, I had to pick one and it was Musk. No hard feelings!

Interviewer: What can you say about the partnership that you put on with Lalit Modi?
Parth K: Oh.. this is something special. We go back a long way. I follow where money is and money is where Lalit is!

Interviewer: How do you rate this knock of yours?
Parth K: 10/10.. batting throughout the innings is special. Requires some decent fitness.

Interviewer: Did you feel 290 was more than enough to defend at the half way stage considering that Avengers had just chased down 343 at Dharamsala?
Parth K: It was tricky but had full faith in our bowling.

Interviewer: How important were those early wickets that Jacob got in the context of the match?
Parth K: That actually changed the match. That was crucial. Early wickets are always crucial.

Interviewer: Do you think you can easily beat the Avengers in your next Finals and win the title?
Parth K: It will be a close tough game. Two good sides playing for the trophy.

Interviewer: All the very best for the next match Parth.
Parth K: You are very welcome!