Published: July 3, 2026 at 7:03 pm
Opener Gaurav Reddy carried his bat to guide Nalgonda Knights to a crucial eight-wicket win against Medak Falcons in the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s TG20’s at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday. The victory lifts Knights to second on the points table.
Chasing 181, Knights’ openers Gaurav and Jashwanth Mote (34 off 21) laid the platform for their side in the powerplay. The former went on to score his maiden century in the tournament, registering an unbeaten 101 in 47 balls with six fours and nine sixes to lead his side to a comprehensive win. He also moved into third place in the race for the Orange Cap, amassing 257 runs in the tournament thus far.
Jashwanth Mote of Nalgonda Knights plays a shot during their TG20 match against Medak Falcons at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday. Pics: Vipin Pawar / CREIMAS
Opting to bat first, Falcons were off to a steady start courtesy Naman Agarwal (18 off 14 balls with two fours and a six) and Shrunjith Reddy. The two openers capitalised on loose deliveries to cruise their way to 30 for no loss after three overs. Aniketh Reddy outfoxed Naman to provide Knights with the breakthrough in the fourth over, turning the tide for his side.
Himateja, Sai Krishna, Ved and Wafi sparkle as Khammam down Nalgonda by 34 runs
After that setback, Falcons’ skipper Ravi Teja (33 off 22 balls with two fours and three sixes) and Shrunjith then consolidated with a 28-run stand off 24 balls. They found the odd boundary and combined it with regular strike rotation to lead their side to 58 for 1 in the powerplay. Shrunjith’s 17-ball 30 with three fours and two sixes was brought to a halt as he succumbed to a runout in the eighth over. His captain took the onus to counter attack, smashing back-to-back sixes to score 13 runs against Urvesh Kakkad in the ninth over.
Debutant Ilyaan Sathani made an instant impact in his first over, dismissing Ravi to put Falcons in a spot of bother. Rakshann Readdi also got the better of Bunny Jagam (4 off 7 balls) in the following over, sinking Falcons deeper into trouble at 89 for 4.
District player Vikram Naik and Sai Varun Yerram (44 not out off 29 balls with two fours and a six) then showed immense maturity to rebuild the innings in the latter half. They kept the scoreboard ticking without too many risks before taking on the bowlers at the death, scoring 63 runs in the last five overs.
Vikram Naik of Medak Falcons rescued his side from a poor start
The onslaught began with 15 runs coming in the fifteenth over with Vikram displaying why he’s regarded as one of the best batters in the tournament thus far. His 31-ball unbeaten 48 included four fours and two sixes. Sai Varun also found boundaries with regularity towards the end, as the two notched a 91-run stand off 55 balls to help Falcons’ post 180 for 4.
Knights off to a rollicking start
It was an exhilarating start to the run chase for Knights with Jashwanth Mote (34 off 21 balls with three fours and a six) setting the tone by scoring 14 runs in the first over. Gaurav also joined in on the action as the two openers found boundaries at will and ate into a large chunk of the target.
They blazed to 81 runs in the powerplay before Arjun Gorrapalli provided Falcons with some respite as he dismissed Jashwanth, breaking the 83-run partnership. Despite the breakthrough, Falcons’ bowlers were being put to the sword by Gaurav, who registered his half-century in 22 balls.
Gaurav Reddy of Nalgonda Knights raises his bat after scoring a hundred
Nitish Reddy played second fiddle alongside him as the two stitched together a 58-run stand off 34 balls, with Gaurav playing the aggressor. Madhukar Manne struck for Falcons to dismiss Nitish after his 17-ball 21 with two fours and a six, but the damage had already been inflicted by then.
With the finish line in sight, skipper Rahul Buddhi (20 not out off 14 balls with two fours) joined Gaurav in the middle to finish the job for their side. The latter carried on his scintillating form to amass his maiden ton in the tournament. He reached the milestone in 46 balls, with his knock including six fours and nine sixes. Gaurav eventually scored the winning runs, guiding his team to a commanding win with 21 balls to spare.
Brief scores: Medak Falcons 180 for 4 in 20 overs (Vikram Naik 48 not out, Sai Varun Yerram 44 out out, Shrunjith Reddy 30, T Ravi Teja 33) lost to Anurag Nalgonda Knights 181 for 2 (Gaurav Reddy 101 not out, Jashwanth Mote 34, P Nitish Reddy 21, Rahul Buddhi 20 not out).
Player of the match: Gaurav Reddy
