Key Points

Their spinners, Shashikumar Kamble (2/20) and Prithviraj Shekhawat (2/22), applied the squeeze to hold the Lions at 133/7 before Smaran R (53* off 30) and Nikin Jose (40 off 42) conquered the chase with three overs to spare.

In the second innings, Dhruv Prabhakaran gave the Lions the early breakthrough with the wicket of Luvnith Sisodia (7 off 3) as early as the second over. Nikin Jose and Prajwal Pavan (20 0ff 25) steadied the ship to finish the powerplay at 45/1.

Prajwal’s stay ended in the eighth over with a soft dismissal, returning a catch to Hardik Raj to make it 49/2. From there, Jose and Smaran kept the chase on course, stitching together a 74-run partnership in 51 balls to put the Mystics in control.

Smaran extended his purple patch, carting Vidwath Kaverappa for a six and two fours in the 12th over. He added a six apiece in the following three overs on his way to a 28-ball fifty.

Jose eventually fell to Vasuki Koushi in the 17th over, but the contest was already over. Pravin Dubey (5* off 3) cracked a boundary to complete a comfortable run chase. Smaran remained unbeaten with three fours and four sixes.

The Lions’ top order began brightly, but their innings lost momentum in the second half. Openers Nihal Ullal (18 off 12) and Dhruv Prabhakar (18 off 16) put on a 30-run stand, guiding the side to 53/1 by the end of the powerplay. Prabhakar was the first to depart, dismissed in the fourth over by Shashikumar Kamble, who later produced a sharp piece of fielding to run out Ullal.

The middle order crumbled, as Rohit Kumar (6 off 10) and Aneeshwar Gautam (3 off 5) fell cheaply to Prtihviraj Shekhawat and Kamble, respectively. Tushar (32 off 25), however, looked settled, striking four boundaries during his time in the middle. Just as he seemed set for a big innings, Lavisha Kaushal had him caught behind in the 13th over, leaving the Lions struggling at 86/5.

Their hopes of recovery took another dent when Kamble returned to dismiss Anirudha Joshi (6 off 11), pushing the side further onto the back foot. Avinash D briefly lifted spirits with three consecutive boundaries off Prithiviraj Shekhawat, only for the left-arm spinner to remove him immediately after.

Hardik Raj (23* off 19) battled through the death overs but could not get going. His unbeaten 21-run stand worth Darshan MB (2* off 10) could not get the Lions past 133/7 in 20 overs.

- IANS