Maharaja Trophy: 30 sixes in match as Bengaluru Blasters smash records

In a record-breaking encounter, Bengaluru Blasters completed the highest run chase in the history of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20, chasing a target of 228 in 19 overs against the Shivamogga Lions at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday (August 28).

The remarkable chase surpassed the previous highest chase of 207, by Shivamogga against Gulbarga Mystics, earlier in the season.

Bengaluru’s six-wicket triumph was sparked by a record partnership of 169 runs between Shubhang Hegde (85 not out) and Suraj Ahuja (82 not out), that eclipsed the destructive knocks of Abhinav Manohar (59 not out) and Rohan Naveen (45) from earlier in the encounter.

In response, Mayank Agarwal (33) ignited Bengaluru’s run chase with two boundaries in the first over. However, Chethan LR (7) was caught and bowled by Sharath HS in the second. Bengaluru’s aggressive approach in the powerplay cost them two more wickets; Bhuvan Raju (10) fell to Vasuki Koushik, and Niranjan Naik (3) was bowled by Rajvir Wadha, leaving the Blasters at 56/3 after the powerplay.

Mayank had raced to 33 off 16 balls before Hardik Raj sent him back to the pavilion in the seventh over. Shubhang and Suraj then turned the tide, forging a gargantuan 169-run partnership off 76 balls.

Suraj powered his way to a half-century in just 24 balls, hitting seven fours and clearing the ropes twice. With 62 runs needed from the final five overs, Shubhang unleashed an unrelenting assault in the death overs, reaching his fifty in 29 balls and squeezing 14 runs off Sharath in the 16th over.

Needing 20 runs from the last two overs, Shubhang and Suraj delivered with ease, sealing the chase with six balls to spare. Shubhang remained unbeaten, smashing six fours and six sixes in his 41-ball knock while Suraj tallied nine fours and four sixes in 38 deliveries as Bengaluru completed the highest run chase in Maharaja Trophy history.

Earlier, put in to bat first, the Shivamogga lost Nihal Ullal (12) to Prateek Jain and Dhruv Prabhakar (16) to Aditya Goyal as they stuttered to 35/2 by the end of the powerplay.

Mohith BA (56) and Shivraj S brought the innings back on track as they erected a 45-run alliance off 37 balls. Shivraj S (13) eventually holed out to deep square leg, off Santok Singh’s shorter one.

Abhinav (59) then joined Mohith, who smashed his way to a half-century that featured three fours and four sixes. The pair added 37 runs before Lavish Kaushal ended Mohith’s stint in the middle in the 14th over, leaving the score at 111/4.

Rohan Naveen (45) and Abhinav Manohar would then put on a breathtaking display of power-hitting as the last five overs of the innings earned them 102 runs on the back of 12 sixes. Their partnership was worth 108 runs and came in just 39 balls.

Abhinav brought up his sixth half-century of the campaign in only 19 balls, finishing with seven sixes. Rohan Naveen narrowly missed out on the milestone, but not before clobbering five sixes, including two in the 20th over that netted 25 runs. The Shivamogga Lions finished the innings at 227/5.

Brief Scores

Bengaluru Blasters won by 6 wickets

Shivamogga Lions 227/5 in 20 overs (Mohit BA 56 runs off 38 balls, Abhinav Manohar 59 runs off 24 balls, Rohan Naveen 45 runs off 21 balls, Aditya Goyal 2/53)

Bengaluru Blasters 228/4 in 20 overs (Mayank Agarwal 33 runs off 17 balls, Shubhang Hegde 85* runs off 41 balls, Suraj Ahuja 82* runs off 38 balls, Sharath HS 2/47)

List of records from the Bengaluru-Shivamogga game

2nd highest match aggregate in Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 – 455 runs

2nd highest total in the tournament – 228/4 by Blasters v Lions

Highest successful chase in the tournament – 228 by Blasters v Lions

Joint-most number of sixes in a match – 30 sixes (Lions – 18 & Blasters –12)

Most number of sixes in an innings by a team (Lions – 18 v Blasters)

Highest partnership for any wicket in the tournament – 169*(78) between Ahuja & Shubhang.

Most runs scored in the last five overs of an innings – Lions 102 v Blasters