Published: June 22, 2026 at 5:04 pm
Tillakaratne Dilshan brings an international flavour to the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s TG20 tournament which kicked off at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Sunday night.
Veteran Sri Lankan batter Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was a pivotal member of the international side that won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2014, is serving as the Team Advisor for the Khammam Aces in the TG20.
Wafi & Himateja hold the Aces for Khammam as Strikers falter despite Vignesh’s knock
Khammam Aces got their campaign off to a winning start with a 20-run victory over Palamuru Strikers in the opening match played in front of a packed crowd.
After posting a formidable 237 for 5, riding on half-centuries from Wafi Kachchhi (60), Sai Krishna Reddy (5232) and K Himateja (59 not out), the Aces held their nerve to restrict the Strikers to 217 for 6 despite a blistering 86 off 31 from Vignesh Reddy.
And the Aces are upbeat about the impact that Dilshan, who made the scoop shot famous, has had on them. Sharing his experience on working with the vastly experienced campaigner, 16-year-old Aces’ spinner Ved Reddy stated: “His experience is really valuable. He is someone who has played many games for Sri Lanka. So, his experience and what he tells us is really helpful. We’re very lucky to have him in our team.”
Shedding some light on the role Dilshan is playing in the dugout, Kachchhi added, “When I got out and came back to the dugout, he just came and had a chat. He told me if I had been there till 15th over or 14th over, I would have got my 100. So, he gives us that backing. We’re really grateful to have him with us.”
I like to give special thanks to coach Ahmed Jinnah sir: Wafi
All-rounder Kachchhi was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his sensational performance, which included bowling figures of 1 for 27. Reflecting on his outing in the post-match press conference, the 19-year-old said: “I’m really grateful to God for giving me this opportunity. I’d also like to give special thanks to my coach, Ahmed Jinnah sir. He’s been my coach since I was nine years old, and I’m really grateful to him.”
Speaking on his performance on the big stage, he added, “I was a little nervous when I started, but as I kept going, it became easier. I wasn’t thinking much about the big crowds and was just focused on how I could take on the bowlers.”
Meanwhile, Ved Reddy also played a key role in his team’s win, returning with figures of 2 for 42, including the crucial breakthrough of Vignesh Reddy.
Reflecting on his performance, the youngster said: “I had my own plans coming into the game. We also had certain plans for each batter. Some plans didn’t work initially, so I changed my strategy and that provided us with the breakthrough. I tried to bring in my variations with my speed and backed my strengths to focus on what I’ve been practicing. That paid off for us today.”
Ved Reddy also shed light on the impact that TG20 can create for budding cricketers in the region. “It’s a wonderful platform for us young people because we have a lot of years to play cricket. We’re really grateful and lucky that when we are starting our career, this league has come and we’ve been picked and we’ve played well. Hopefully, we can continue to perform for our team”, he concluded.
