Challengers Outpower Chargers in 46-Run Statement
Mahanth Sharma lit up the hall with seven sixes, Prem helped steady the innings when wickets threatened to derail it, and Kunal Patel finished the job with five wickets.
Challengers185/1120.0 oversWon by 46 runs24 September 2026
Chargers139/1820.0 oversIf Match 1 proved the Autumn League's marquee names could bring raw firepower, Match 2 showed the value of a side that can recover, rebuild and then strike back with the ball. Challengers weathered a Chargers fightback to post a formidable 185/11 before sealing a commanding 46-run victory.
Innings 1: Mahanth's Firepower, Prem's Poise
Chargers won the toss and chose to field, but Challengers captain Mahanth Sharma made sure they would have a serious target to chase. He hammered 53 net runs from just 23 balls, with seven towering sixes. The 12th over was his showpiece: three sixes, a no-ball and a wide helped Challengers plunder 28 runs. Visagn supplied another four sixes in his 23 net runs from 19 balls.
Chargers refused to be swept aside. Shivaprasad took 3/24 net, and Ashkar took 3/8 net, with two wickets in a 15th over that actually pushed the Challengers score backwards by one. When another wicket fell on ball 16.3, Challengers were 138/11. Their big start suddenly needed a composed finish.
That was where Prem and Mahanth steadied the ship. Prem's 28 from 17 balls gave the captain vital support, and together they put on an unbroken 47 from the final 27 deliveries. No further wicket fell. Challengers finished on an imposing 185/11, leaving Chargers needing 186 to win.
Innings 2: Kunal's Five-Wicket Blitz
Chargers' chase was in trouble almost immediately. Kunal Patel removed Abhay and Ashkar in the opening over, which ended at −2 net runs. Two more wickets in his sixth-over spell tightened the grip. He finished with a match-defining 5/17 net from four overs and a net economy rate of just 4.25.
Chargers still had fight left. Sudeep blasted 46 net runs from 24 balls, while Nibu struck 32 from 16. A 16-run tenth over gave their chase fresh momentum. But Dev dismissed both batters in the next over on his way to 4/17 net, with Jitesh adding three wickets of his own. In the field, Mahanth held two catches, Visagn added two catches, a stumping and a run-out, and Mohan effected two run-outs.
Even then Chargers refused to go quietly. They took 20 net runs from the 19th over and another 18 from the last, with Sudeep hitting a six in each. The late fireworks could not undo the damage from Challengers' early strikes. Chargers ended on 139/18; Challengers had won by 46 runs.
Key Match Figures
| Category | Challengers | Chargers |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 185/11 (20.0 overs) | 139/18 (20.0 overs) |
| Top batters | Mahanth Sharma 53 (23), seven sixes Prem 28 (17) Visagn 23 (19), four sixes | Sudeep 46 (24) Nibu 32 (16) |
| Top bowlers | Kunal Patel 5/17 (4.0 overs) Dev 4/17 (3.0 overs) Jitesh three wickets | Ashkar 3/8 (2.0 overs) Shivaprasad 3/24 (4.0 overs) |
| Fielding | Visagn two catches, one stumping and one run-out Mohan two run-outs Mahanth Sharma two catches | Thanvilin Thattakath three catches Joju three catches |
Batting runs are net of three runs for each penalised dismissal. Bowling figures and economy rates use net runs conceded: gross runs less three per credited wicket. The ball-by-ball record credits run-outs to fielders separately.
Post-Match Takeaways
- Mahanth delivered the firepower: Seven sixes, including three in a 28-run over, gave Challengers their platform.
- Prem helped rescue the finish: From 138/11, he and Mahanth added an unbeaten 47 across the final 27 deliveries.
- Kunal broke the chase open: Two wickets in the first over became a five-wicket haul, and Chargers' spirited late charge came too late.