MPL T20 Scindia Cup 2026: Bhopal Leopards hold nerves, beat Venkatesh Iyer's Indore Pink Panthers
Indore, June 5
Bhopal Leopards produced a clinical all-round performance to defeat the Venkatesh Iyer-led Indore Pink Panthers by 27 runs in a thrilling contest in the Madhya Pradesh League T20 Scindia Cup 2026 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
After winning the toss, the Leopards opted to bat first. Openers Tanishq Yadav and Rahul Chandrol gave the side a solid start, adding 47 runs for the opening wicket before Chandrol was bowled by Shivam Shukla for 21 off 13 balls, as per a press release from MPL.
Yadav then combined with captain Aniket Verma to keep the innings on track, with the pair adding 38 runs for the second wicket. Yadav scored 39 off 29 deliveries, while Verma contributed 26 off 20 balls.
The Leopards, however, lost momentum in the middle and death overs as the Panthers' bowlers used the short-ball strategy effectively. Himanshu Shinde tried to steady the innings with a fighting 44 off 29 balls, but regular wickets at the other end prevented the Leopards from accelerating. As a result, Bhopal were eventually bowled out for 174.
Roshan Kewat was the standout performer with the ball for the Panthers, claiming 3 wickets for 26 runs in his four-over spell.
In reply, it was the Leopards' bowlers who stole the show. They struck at regular intervals and never allowed the Panthers to settle, reducing them to 62/6 in just 8.1 overs. The big breakthrough came with the dismissal of captain Venkatesh Iyer, leaving the Panthers in deep trouble early in the chase.
Indore found some resistance through Saransh Surana and Shubham Rathore, who put together a fighting 74-run partnership for the seventh wicket. The duo kept the scoreboard moving and briefly raised hopes of a comeback with some positive batting.
However, the Leopards struck at the right moment when Pawan Nirwani broke the stand, with Saransh finding a fielder in the deep after scoring a well-made 43 off 34 balls. The Panthers then lost a couple of quick wickets, including the important dismissal of Shubham Rathore, who contributed 38 off 29 deliveries.
Pawan Nirwani returned with bowling figures of 4/21 in four overs as Indore Pink Panthers were eventually bowled out for 147.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Didn't expect such a low total to be defended, but the Leopards' bowling attack did the job. The short-ball strategy by Panthers in the first innings worked well but they couldn't replicate it while chasing. Bhopal's fielding was sharp too - that catch to dismiss Saransh was crucial!
Venkatesh Iyer getting out early was a big blow for Indore. He's the backbone of that team. But I liked how the lower order fought back - that's the spirit of domestic cricket! Hopefully the crowd at Holkar Stadium enjoyed the game. T20 cricket in MP is really improving 🏏
Good competitive match overall. My only concern is Bhopal's middle-order collapse - losing 4 wickets for 30 runs in the death overs is worrying. They need to work on finishing strong. But defending 174 shows they have a good bowling unit. Pawan Nirwani was the star, 4/21 is brilliant!
Thrilling finish! MPL is becoming quite interesting. The fact that it gave us players like Venkatesh Iyer shows its importance. Would love to see more promotion of such local leagues. Maybe Bhopal can go all the way this year! 🏆
Heartbreaking for Indore fans! Saransh and Shubham gave us hope with that partnership but Pawan Nirwani broke it at the right time. Cricket is such a game of momentum. Leopards deserve credit for holding their nerve. This tournament is great
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