Published: June 29, 2026 at 7:40 pm
Md Arfaz Ahmed and Nishanth Saranu helped Nalgonda Knights secure their third win on the trot, registering a comprehensive six-wicket victory against Palamuru Strikers in the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s TG20 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday.
Knights’ bowlers were sensational in executing their plans with Md Arfaz Ahmed (3 for 39) and Nishanth Saranu (2 for 16) being the standouts. They restricted Palamuru Strikers to 148 for 9. Skipper Rahul Buddhi (68 not out of 40 balls with seven fours and three sixes) held his nerve in the run chase to lead his side to a comfortable victory with 28 balls to spare, helping them jump to second on the points table.
Arfaz, Nishanth strike Palamuru
It was a wobbly start for the Strikers as they lost three wickets in the powerplay. A run out cost the in-form Vignesh Reddy his wicket in the first over, while Aniketh Reddy (1 for 18) got the better of Karan Yadav (0 off 2 balls) in the following over to have the batting side reeling at 5 for 2. Strikers found themselves in deeper trouble as Arfaz bounced out Rohit Rayudu (4 off 10 balls) in the fifth over.
Nishanth Saranu of Anurag Nalgonda Knights bowls against Palamuru Strikers in the TG20 at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday. Pics: Sumeet Parmar / CREIMAS
Pragnay Reddy (55 off 35 balls with four fours and an equal number of sixes) led the counterpunch to add some impetus to the innings as he stitched a 37-run stand with Chaitanya Reddy (17 off 18 balls with three fours). The latter rotated strike cleverly before he too succumbed to Divesh Singh in the ninth over.
With their team in trouble, Pragnay and Rathan Teja (50 off 33 balls with six fours and two sixes) dug deep to strike a 74-run stand in 50 balls. Both batters displayed maturity to rotate strike regularly while also finding boundaries at regular intervals as they struck their respective half-centuries in 32 balls. The duo carried their side past the 100-run mark and seemingly set the platform for a big finish.
Palamuru Strikers captain Pragnay Reddy plays a shot against Nalgonda Knights
They scored 22 runs off the 17th over before Nishanth broke the partnership to dismiss both batters within a span of four deliveries in the 18th over. The twin strikes left Strikers struggling at 134 for 6. They scored only 14 runs in the last two overs, losing three wickets in the final over courtesy a brilliant performance from Knights bowlers as they restricted the Strikers to 148 for 9.
Rishab strikes twice early on
Debutant Jashwanth Mote (17 off 11 balls with two fours and a six) and Gaurav Reddy (18 off 10 balls with two fours and a six) got the Knights off to a strong start in the run chase, with the openers scoring 21 runs in the first couple of overs. Rishab Baslas gave the Strikers a glimmer of hope as he dismissed both openers in successive overs, putting the Knights in a spot of bother at 47 for 2 in the fifth over.
Skipper Rahul and Nitish Reddy (19 off 15 balls with two fours) steadied the ship for the batting side, with the former taking the onus on himself to keep up with the scoring rate as he unleashed a range of strokes. They constructed a 48-run partnership to wipe off a chunk of the target.
Rahul wins it for Nalgonda Knights
Rohit got the better of Nitish in the 10th over with Varun Goud (13 off 12 balls with a four) falling to a soft dismissal soon after. However, Rahul made sure he finished the job for his side. He amassed his fifty with a maximum, reaching the milestone in 30 balls. His knock included seven fours and three sixes, as he comfortably led his side over the line with 28 balls to spare.
Brief scores: Palamuru Strikers 148 for 9 in 20 overs (Pragnay Reddy 55, Rathan Teja 50, Md Arfaz Ahmed 3/39, Nishanth Saranu 2/16) lost to Nalgonda Knights 149 for 4 in 15.2 overs (Rahul Buddhi 68 not out, Nitish Reddy 19, Rishab Baslas 2/26).
Player of the match: Rahul Buddhi
