As the Karnataka Bulldozers prepared for their inaugural match in the 11th Season of the Celebrity Cricket League, captain Kiccha Sudeep anticipated a challenging encounter against the Telugu Warriors, a team that has claimed the tournament title on four occasions. The match delivered an exhilarating display of high scores and intense competition, with the Bulldozers demonstrating their capability to establish and defend a target effectively, ultimately defeating the Warriors by a margin of 46 runs.

Karnataka Bulldozers set formidable first innings target

The Telugu Warriors, having won the toss, opted to have the Karnataka Bulldozers bat first. This decision proved to be astute, considering the home team's formidable batting lineup and their proven ability to successfully chase down targets. As the innings commenced, Darling Krishna, one of the leading scorers of CCL 2024, took to the field alongside Rajeev Hanu. However, the initial three overs of the Power Play were challenging for the team, resulting in the loss of Rajeev and subsequently J Karthik. Just as Krishna began to find his rhythm alongside Manjunath, the latter was dismissed, bringing Karan Arya to the crease. The score stood at 41-3 after 5 overs.

In a remarkable turn of events, Krishna shifted his approach and accelerated the scoring, launching a series of powerful shots against the Warriors' bowlers. This aggressive play propelled the team to a total of 100 runs in just 9 overs, a milestone that had seemed improbable earlier. Karan provided essential support, maintaining stability in the middle order. The final score reached 113, with both Krishna and Karan remaining not out. While the first five overs were dominated by the Warriors, the latter part of the innings clearly belonged to the Bulldozers.

Telugu Warriors chase well, then stumble

In pursuit of the total established by the Bulldozers, the Warriors commenced their innings with caution, suffering an early setback with the dismissal of their key player, Ashwin Babu. However, as the Bulldozers squandered several opportunities to secure additional wickets, captain Akhil Akkineni and Adarsh began to find their rhythm, gradually reducing the deficit. The Bulldozers eventually achieved a breakthrough in the eighth over when captain Kiccha Sudeep executed a remarkable stumping, dismissing Adarsh. Nevertheless, Akhil remained determined to guide his team closer to the target of 113, if not surpass it.

Akhil reached a commendable half-century during his innings but subsequently misjudged his next shot, resulting in a catch to Suneel Raoh. Despite the target being within reach, the Warriors appeared to maintain control until they lost two more wickets, bringing another strong player, Thaman, to the crease. The question arose: could the renowned composer lead his team past this initial challenge? Unfortunately, while attempting to take two runs when only one was available, his partner Samrat was run out by bowler Chandan. Although Sachiin Joshi joined Thaman at the crease, Chandan continued to bowl with precision, ultimately restricting the Warriors to a final score of 99 for 5, thereby granting the Bulldozers a 14-run advantage heading into the second innings.

Krishna, who was dealing with what seemed to be a hamstring issue that prevented him from fielding against the Warriors, managed to score some runs but was unable to contribute effectively a second time for his team. Sudeep had to retire hurt, which led to Rajeev and Karan partnering together. The pair gradually began to build upon the established foundation, working towards achieving another three-digit target. After eight overs, they had established a 100-run lead, factoring in the margin from the first innings. A subsequent over saw their score rise to 103-3, resulting in a 117-run lead. Thaman's final over yielded an additional 20 runs for the Bulldozers, concluding at 123-3 and an overall lead of 137 runs.

Thaman, often referred to as the Warriors’ Arjuna Ranatunga, donned a jersey featuring the name Puneeth as a tribute to the late Puneeth Rajkumar. He commenced the innings alongside Samrat and delivered an impressive performance, striking the Bulldozers’ bowlers all over the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Within just three overs, he propelled his team to a score of 45 without loss. Following Rajeev's expensive over, which yielded 30 runs, Sudeep summoned Chandan to secure a breakthrough. Chandan succeeded in dismissing Samrat, although it was not the wicket they had hoped for. However, just two balls later, he achieved the desired breakthrough by sending Thaman back to the pavilion.

Chasing a target of 137 proved to be a formidable challenge, and the pressure intensified as wickets began to tumble. This was the case for the Warriors, who lost both Sachiin Joshi and Akhil Akkineni during the fifth over delivered by Anup Bhandari. However, the contest was far from over, as Ashwin Babu and Samba continued to resist. Unfortunately, Samba was dismissed by Anup, followed by Ashwin and Adarsh falling to Ganesh, leaving the Warriors in a precarious position at 80-7, with a run rate that was increasingly rising. The Bulldozers appeared determined to conclude the match swiftly, and while they were unable to bowl out the Warriors, they secured a convincing victory by 46 runs. Ganesh achieved a remarkable five-wicket haul, as the Warriors ultimately collapsed for a total of 91-9.

Day 2 of CCL 2025 will move to Delhi, with 2 matches on February 9 - the Bengal Tigers will play Punjab De Sher at 2 pm; followed by Mumbai Heroes vs Bhojpuri Dabanggs at 6.30 pm.

Read Also: CCL 2025: Only 7 Teams to Compete in Season 11 – Here’s Why

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