Kochi Blue Tigers’ bowling duo of Mohammed Ashiq and KM Asif orchestrated a dominant victory against Alleppey Ripples, sealing a 34-run win in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL).
Both bowlers picked up four wickets each as Alleppey were dismissed for 149 in 19.2 overs while chasing 184.
Earlier, Kochi’s innings had its ups and downs. Vinoop Manoharan provided a bright start, finding early boundaries until Vipul Shakti’s dismissal slowed the tempo. Short cameos from Mohammed Shanu and skipper Sally Samson added momentum, but the middle-order faltered as wickets fell in quick succession.
Sanju Samson, who came out to bat for the first time in the Kerala Cricket League, also had an underwhelming outing. The India batter managed only 13 runs off 22 balls, without hitting a solitary boundary.
The turning point came late in the innings when Alfie Francis unleashed a blazing 31 not out off 13 balls, peppered with one four and four maximums, lifting Kochi to an imposing 183 for 8. Among Alleppey’s bowlers, Akshay Chandran, Jalaj Saxena, and Srihari S Nair bagged two wickets each.
The chase began cautiously for Alleppey, with Chandran (33) and Saxena (16) putting up a steady opening stand. However, once Saxena was bowled by Asif, Kochi kept striking at regular intervals. Alfie Francis chipped in with the wicket of Mohammed Azharuddin, while Vinoop dismissed Chandran to derail the reply.
Abhishek P Nair briefly counterattacked with a fiery 29 off 13 balls, but once Asif removed him, Alleppey’s batting line-up crumbled. Ashiq’s devastating over, where he snared three wickets, put an end to any resistance.
The Ripples eventually folded for 149, handing Kochi their second consecutive win. With two victories on the trot, the Blue Tigers remain firmly seated at the top of the standings – and Ashiq walked away with the Player of the Match award for his match-winning spell.
With the win, the Tigers go top of the table with 2 wins in two matches, while the Ripples continue to languish at the bottom in the KCL 2025.