ISPL Season 3: Chennai Singams Move To Top Of Table With Big Win Over Falcon Risers Hyderabad; Tiigers Of Kolkata Edge Bengaluru Strikers In Low-Scoring Thriller

Surat: The Lalbhai Contractor Stadium hosted an action-packed Thursday in the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) Season 3. The evening was highlighted by a high-scoring masterclass from the Chennai Singams, who defeated Falcon Risers Hyderabad by 38 runs, following a nail-biting opener where the Tiigers of Kolkata successfully defended a low total to edge past Bengaluru Strikers by 5 runs.

Chennai Singams vs Falcon Risers of Hyderabad

Chennai Singams delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat Falcon Risers Hyderabad in Southern Derby, going on top of team standings.

Riding on a blistering half-century by Ketan Mhatre and a match-winning all-round show from Jagannath Sarkar, the Singams posted a formidable total before dismantling the Hyderabad lineup.

Batting first, Chennai Singams posted an imposing 118/2 in their allotted 10 overs. Opener Ketan Mhatre anchored the innings with a destructive 54 off just 30 balls, striking at a rate of 180.00. His knock was studded with five boundaries and three sixes. He found an able partner in Jagannath Sarkar, who compiled a steady 37 off 26 deliveries (3 fours, 1 six), ensuring the momentum never dipped. The duo frustrated the Hyderabad bowlers, with Vishwajit Thakur bearing the brunt of the assault, conceding 42 runs in his two overs. Varun Kumar was the standout bowler for Hyderabad, delivering a miserly spell of 0/8 from his two overs.

In reply, Falcon Risers Hyderabad’s chase faltered early and never truly recovered, ending at 80/7. Mansoor KL provided a brief spark of hope, smashing 26 off 11 balls. However, the introduction of Jagannath Sarkar into the attack turned the game decisively in Chennai's favour. Sarkar followed up his batting heroics with a lethal bowling spell, claiming 3 wickets for just 13 runs in his two overs.

Yogesh Penkar contributed 25 off 19 balls before retiring out, but the middle order collapsed under pressure. Ashish Pal applied the squeeze with an exceptionally economical spell of 0/7 in two overs, while Anurag Sarshar (1/13) and Rajesh Sorte (1/28) chipped in with wickets. The Hyderabad lower order could not keep up with the mounting required run rate, eventually falling short by a significant margin.

Tiigers of Kolkata vs. Bengaluru Strikers

Earlier in the day, in a tense, low-scoring encounter, Tiigers of Kolkata held their nerve to defeat Bengaluru Strikers by 5 runs. Defending a modest total of 77, the Tiigers' bowling unit executed a disciplined performance to restrict Bengaluru to 72/7 in their allotted 10 overs.

After being put in to bat, Tiigers of Kolkata struggled to generate momentum against a tight Bengaluru attack. Opener Saif Ali provided a brief spark with an 11-run cameo off 5 balls. However, the innings was largely held together by Rajat Mundhe, who top-scored with a composed 35 off 28 deliveries. Mundhe lacked significant support from the other end as wickets fell at regular intervals.

Bengaluru's bowlers were effective throughout. Bhushan Gole was the pick of the attack, conceding just 9 runs in his 2 overs while claiming the wicket of Saroj Paramanik. Rajendra Singh (1/20) and Badi Rajesh Narayan (1/19) also chipped in, ensuring the Tiigers were limited to 77/5.

Chasing 78 for victory, Bengaluru Strikers faced early setbacks. Opener Dibyendu Paul was run out for a duck in the first over. Fardeen Kazi stabilized the innings briefly, but the required run rate continued to climb. Bhushan Gole offered the most resistance with a fighting 21 off 17 balls, hitting three boundaries.

The turning point came through the Tiigers' suffocating bowling in the death overs. Saroj Paramanik delivered a match-winning spell, taking 1 wicket for just 9 runs in his 2 overs. Needing quick runs in the closing stages, Bengaluru lost wickets in clusters, finishing agonizingly short on 72/7.

Srinagar Ke Veer will face Tiigers Of Kolkata at 5:30 PM on Friday while Majhi Mumbai will lock horns with Ahmedabad Lions in second match of the evening at 8 PM.

ISPL Season 3 matches are being televised live on Star Sports Khel and streamed on JioHotstar. Tickets for matches at are available online on BookMyShow.

Brief scores:

Match 1: Tiigers of Kolkata 77/5 in 10 overs (Rajat Mundhe 35, Saif Ali 11; Bhushan Gole 1/9, Badi Rajesh Narayan 1/19) beat Bengaluru Strikers 72/7 in 10 overs (Bhushan Gole 21, Sumeet Dhekale 14; Saroj Paramanik 1/9, Vivek Mohanan 1/12) by 5 runs.

Match 2: Chennai Singams 118/2 (Ketan Mhatre 54, Jagannath Sarkar 37; Vicky Bhoir 1/21) beat Falcon Risers Hyderabad 80/7 (Mansoor KL 26, Yogesh Penkar 25; Jagannath Sarkar 3/13) by 38 ru