KCL | Govind Dev’s blistering ton powers Royals into the last four

In a match defined by landmarks and records, Govind Dev Pai offered a masterful display of his precocious talent, powering Trivandrum Royals into the semifinals of the Kerala Cricket League with an emphatic eight-wicket win over defending champion Kochi Blue Tigers at the Sports Hub Greenfield stadium on Wednesday.

Govind’s maiden KCL century (108 not out, 62b, 11×4, 4×6) and unbroken 188-run third wicket stand with captain Krishna Prasad (68 not out, 46b, 5×4, 3×6) — the biggest in KCL history — meant Royals aced its highest run chase (197) with 10 balls to spare.

After Royals lost two quick wickets, Krishna Prasad took the fight to the opposing camp by attacking the medium-pacers Saly Samson and Manu Krishnan. Govind, who survived a run out chance on five when Adhi Abhilash failed to hit the stumps from close, found his touch to tear the Tigers’ attack to shreds.

Govind imperiously pulled Manu Krishan over square-leg for a maximum to get going and then, in a statement over, flogged Eden Apple Tom for three sixes. The youngster reached his fifty, tickling Adhi to the fine leg fence for a boundary. And after reaching the milestone, he went into an overdrive to race to his hundred, eventually ushering in the win by clubbing Ashique for two consecutive boundaries.

Earlier, a late order flourish from Manu (47) and Sachin Suresh (33) saw Tigers overcome a slow start to post 196 for seven.

The scores: Kochi Blue Tigers 196/7 in 20 overs (Vipul Shakti 43, Sachin Suresh 33, Manu Krishnan 47, C.V. Vinod Kumar 3/23) lost to Trivandrum Royals (Krishna Prasad 68 n.o., Govind Dev Pai 108 n.o.).

Tuesday’s match: Kochi Blue Tigers 242/4 in 20 overs (Jobin Joby 109, Vipul Shakti 39, Manu Krishan 31, Mohammed Ashique 31, Sibin Girish 2/29) bt Alleppey Ripples 173 in 18.4 overs (Mohammed Azharuddeen 32, K.A. Arun 59, Mohammed Ashique 3/18, Eden Apple Tom 2/10, Manu Krishnan 2/27).