Indore, Madhya Pradesh, June 22: Malwa Stallions signed off their Aditya Birla Group Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026 campaign on a winning note, defeating Rewa Jaguars by 52 runs at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
Batting first, the Malwa Stallions posted an imposing 214/7 in 20 overs. The side lost a couple of wickets a bit early and was 69/2 in just over seven overs before Akhil Nigote Yadav and Parth Sahani took control of proceedings. The duo stitched together a crucial 73-run partnership for the third wicket, putting the Stallions in a commanding position.
Akhil was the chief aggressor, smashing 66 off just 29 deliveries before being dismissed with the score reading 142/3. However, the Stallions suffered a mini-collapse, losing five wickets for just 17 runs, allowing the Jaguars to claw their way back into the contest.
Just when the innings seemed to be losing momentum, Rishabh Chouhan and Aryan Deshmukh provided the perfect finishing flourish. The pair added an unbeaten 55-run stand, accelerating brilliantly in the death overs. Rishabh remained unbeaten on 23 off 16 balls, while Aryan produced a blistering cameo of 36* off just 10 deliveries, helping Malwa surge past the 200-run mark.
In reply, the Rewa Jaguars endured an early setback as Prithviraj Tomar was dismissed without a run on the board. Akshat Raghuwanshi and Arham Aqueel then attempted to rebuild the innings with a brisk 51-run partnership for the second wicket.
Aqueel played an attacking knock of 27 off 14 balls before being dismissed, while Akshat followed soon after for 29 off 16 deliveries. The Jaguars also lost Anant Verma in quick succession, slipping to 65/4 and finding themselves under significant pressure in the chase.
The Rewa Jaguars never truly recovered from the early setbacks and continued to lose wickets at regular intervals throughout the chase. Ashwin Das attempted to anchor the innings and keep the hopes alive with a brisk 28 off 15 deliveries, but his dismissal further dented their chances.
Ramveer Gurjar provided some late entertainment for the spectators with an aggressive cameo, striking 28 off just 10 balls, but the required rate had climbed too high by then for the Jaguars to mount a comeback. The side was eventually bowled out for 162 in 20 overs.
For the Malwa Stallions, Ishan Choudhary was the standout performer with the ball, finishing with impressive figures of 4/38 in his four overs, while Aditya Mishra chipped in with 3/19 from his four-over spell.
Reflecting on the win, captain Ashutosh Sharma said, “It was a very satisfying win to finish our campaign. The players have worked extremely hard over the last few months, including during the pre-season camps, and it was good to see that effort translate into a strong performance on the field. Cricket is a game where you learn from both victories and defeats, and this season has given us a lot of valuable lessons. Since this was our first year as a franchise in the MPL, it has been a great learning experience for everyone, including me as a leader and as a player. We will take these learnings forward and come back stronger next season.”
