Maharaja Trophy: Luvnith, Abhishek power Gulbarga Mystics to victory against Shivamogga Lions

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 21 (ANI): Gulbarga Mystics comfortably sailed to their second victory in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 against the Shivamogga Lions at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.
Abhishek Prabhakar and Yashovardhan Parantap snatched 3 wickets each from Shivamogga Lions in the first innings while Abhinav Manohar fought back with 55 runs in 36 balls.
In the second innings, Luvnith Sisodia (62*) scored five boundaries and five sixes, in partnership with Devdutt Padikkal (27) and Aneesh K. V (31*) to bring the game to an early close, according to a release.
Luvnith Sisodia and Devdutt Padikkal began Gulbarga Mystics' innings with a flurry of boundaries combining for 68 runs in the first six overs. Their partnership of 72 runs came to an end in the seventh over with Padikkal getting caught by Avinash D, off Dhruv Prabhakar's delivery.
Aneesh K. V filled in the gap seamlessly, rotating the strike while Luvnith brought up his half-century with a six, pummeled straight down the pitch, in 30 balls. Aneesh launched an assault of his own, ensuring Gulbarga Mystics met the target of 127 in just 11.4 overs.
Shivamogga Lions got off to a slow start in the first innings of the match. Gulbarga Mystics' Ritesh Bhatkal claimed Mohith BA's (13) wicket as early as the second over while Nihal Ullal (5) fell to Monish Reddy soon after. Hardik Raj (7) fell to Prithviraj Shekhawat and Yashovardhan Parantap registered a wicket-maiden at the end of the powerplay, bagging Rohit K (4) and containing Shivamogga Lions to 30/4 in six overs.
Abhinav Manohar (55) shone for Shivamogga Lions while the wickets tumbled around him. He held fort with a boundary and three sixes, to bring the team total to 91/7 at the 15-over mark.
Gulbarga's bowling contingent of Abhishek Prabhakar, Yashovardhan Parantap, Prithviraj Shekhawat, Ritesh Bhatkal, Monish Reddy and Sharan Goud stifled the Shivamogga Lions, claiming at least a wicket each in their spells.
The last man batman standing, Abhinav Manohar added 3 more sixes to his tally before he was dismissed by Yashovardhan Parantap in the 18th over to bring the Shivamogga Lions' innings to a premature end at 126/10 in 18.1 overs. (ANI)