Five balls, 4 wickets; Arun Karthik's captain's knock went in vain. Siechem Madurai Panthers (SMP), on game 16 of the ongoing TNPL 2025, defeated Nellai Royal Kings (NRK) by 10 runs after a neck-to-neck battle. Surya Anand's 4-wicket spell changed the color of the match completely. 

Toss and the first innings:

Madurai Panthers chose to bat first after winning the toss in their home ground at Salem. The match was marked by some brilliance from blowers from both sides, not an event of high scoring. SMP opener Sita Ram alone scored 48 against 37 balls, and Atheeq Ur Rahman got a 36-run innings in the middle order, which boosted the team total to a fightable 168 in 20 overs. But it was the number 10 player of the batting line-up, Gurjapneet Singh, who played a flashy 8-ball, 24-run innings during the closing moment of the innings. 

Second innings:

The target was not high, but the bowlers were on point. The host team restricted the visitors to 158 and registered a 10-run win. Kings captain Karthik worked hard for his 67-run innings, but it was overshadowed by the efforts of the Panthers. In the 19th over of the second innings, Surya Anand claimed 4 wickets in 5 balls—that was enough to conclude the match for the night. 

A sensational win for Siechem Madurai Panthers! 🔥#SMPvNRK #TNPL #TNPL2025 #NammaOoruNammaGethu pic.twitter.com/N6jLEwvmDi

— TNPL (@TNPremierLeague) June 18, 2025

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Madurai Panthers vs Nellai Royal Kings full match scoreboard: 

Madurai Panthers: 168/9 (20 Overs)

Nellai Royal Kings- 158/10 (18.5 Overs)