Hubli Tigers cruised into the final of the KPL with a 26-run win over Belagavi Panthers in Qualifier-2 at the SDNR Wadayar Stadium here on Friday.
With this win, Tigers set up the title clash with Bellary Tuskers on Saturday.
Set a target of 155, Panthers — sans Manish Pandey, who has left for India-A duty — was let down by their top-order batsman and were bowled out for 128 in 19.4 overs.
Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal (two for 17), Abhilash Shetty (three for 33) and Praveen Dubey (two for 31) were the main wicket-takers for Tigers.
Earlier, Mir Kaunain Abbas won toss and Panthers opted to bowl. Tigers started confidently with inform-opener Mohd. Taha taking a heavy toll of fast bowler D. Avinash by scoring 15 runs in the second over of the innings.
Opener Luvnith Sisodia (4) departed leg before to off-spinner Ritesh Bhatkal off his first delivery of the match and Tigers were to 24 for one in 3.1 overs.
Impressive strokeplay
However, Taha continued to dominate the bowling by scoring at will on both sides of the wicket and raced to his 50 (30b, 8x4, 1x6).
Tigers lost skipper R. Vinay Kumar (9) stumped by Kaunain Abbas off left-arm spinner Shubhang Hegde, and the score read 64 for two in 7.4 overs. Taha and Vinay had added 40-runs in 27 balls for the second wicket.
Later Taha and K.B. Pawan batted sensibly by rotating the strike and also finding the boundaries. They took the team to 91 for three in 11.4 overs when Taha (63, 34b, 9x4, 1x6) was caught at the long-off boundary by Zahoor Farooqi off Ritesh Bhatkal.
Pawan (31, 19b, 4x4, 1x6) departed soon, stumped off left-arm spinner Shreesha Achar, with the score at 114 for four after 13.5 overs.
The scores: Hubli Tigers 154 in 20 overs (Mohd. Taha 63, K.B. Pawan 31, Praveen Dubey 29, Shreesha Achar three for 34, Ritesh Bhatkal two for 26) bt Belagavi Panthers 128 in 19.4 overs (Abhinav Manohar 38, Shubhang Hegde 25, Abhilash Shetty three for 33, Shreyas Gopal two for 17, Praveen Dubey two for 31) .
