AI Simulation, AKS vs KBT । Sachin Baby's captaincy knock helps Sailors lift title with five-wicket win over Tigers

Pitch and Weather

The Greenfield pitch was a true surface with even bounce, promising stroke-play but slowing down under lights.

The weather was quite humid, with a chance of dew later in the chase – a factor that encouraged Kochi to set a score.

Toss

Kochi Blue Tigers won the toss and elected to bat first.

Lineups

AKS XI: Abhishek Nair, Bharath Soorya, Sachin Baby(c), Vishnu Vinod(w), Vathsal Govind, Sharafuddeen, M Sajeevan Akhil, Amal AG, Pavan Raj, Vijay Vishwanath, Ajayaghosh N S.

KBT XI: Vinoop Manoharan, Ajeesh K, Muhammed Shanu, Vipul Shakti, Nikhil Thottath(w), Muhammad Ashik, Saly Samson(c), Jobin Joby, Alfi Francis John, Jerin PS, KM Asif. 

Match Report

After opting to bat first, the opening pair of Vinoop Manoharan and Ajeesh K stitched a quick partnership of 29 runs for the first wicket in 3.5 overs. This partnership ended when Pavan Raj dismissed Ajeesh K on the fifth ball of the fourth over, getting him caught by Vishnu Vinod. Following his dismissal, Manoharan and Muhammad Shanu stitched a crucial 36-run partnership for the second wicket before the former was dismissed by Amal AG in the ninth over. Manoharan scored 32 runs off 27 balls, with four fours. Furthermore, Shanu also added 37 runs for the third wicket. Ajayaghosh’s yorker crashed into the stumps to dismiss Muhammad Shanu at the individual score of 41 runs off 28 balls, with five fours and two sixes. Late contributions of Nikhil Thottath (12) and skipper Saly Samson (21) helped the Kochi Blue Tigers post the total of 162/7 in the allotted 20 overs. Pavan Raj scalped two wickets for just 26 runs in his four overs, alongside Amal AG, who scalped two wickets for just 28 runs in his four overs.

While chasing the target, Aries Kollam Sailors faced an early blow, losing Bharath Soorya at the team score of 18 runs in 2.2 overs. However, Abhishek Nair and skipper Sachin Baby added 31 runs for the second wicket before Nair was dismissed by Jerin PS at the individual score of 27 runs off 21 balls, with four fours. Following Nair’s departure, Sachin Baby and Vishnu Vinod stabilised the innings with a match-winning partnership of 69 runs for the third wicket. Sachin played a game-defining half-century knock of 55 runs off 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes. Besides him, Vishnu Vinod also played a swashbuckling knock of 46 runs off just 29 balls, with three fours and as many sixes. These contributions played a central role in helping the Sailors cross the line in 19.2 overs, scoring 163/5. Speaking of KBT’s bowling, KM Asif bagged two wickets for 29 runs in four overs. Apart from him, Jerin PS and Jobin Joby scalped a wicket each. With this win, the Aries Kollam Sailors lifted the KCL 2025 title to become the champions.

Player of the Match

Aries Kollam Sailors’ Sachin Baby won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his match-winning knock of 55 runs off 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes. His partnerships with Abhishek Nair and Vishnu Vinod played a pivotal role in their side’s five-wicket win.

Scorecard