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Right then. Dindigul have put the right foot on the board in terms of their campaign while Trichy continue to search for the magic three-letter word - 'WIN'. They have some time to think about it, but we don't. Because the next match is right on our heels as hosts Salem taken on Madurai. So take a quick coffee break and please be back for the next game, which is scheduled to begin at 7.15 pm IST (1345 GMT). ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Victorious Dindigul Dragons captain, Ravichandran Ashwin, says that the wicket was basically a tad slow in nature. Admits that too many shots were played by his batters, but is okay with the mistakes being committed at this stage of the tournament and hopes that they learn from these. On the bowling, Ashwin feels that his bowlers bowled on both sides of the wicket and could have been more disciplined.

Opinions for the Player Of The Match? Shivam Singh for his 78? Ashwin for his 3-fer? Or, for the sport, Easwaran for his 6-fer? It is a batter's game. SHIVAM SINGH HAS BEEN ADJUDGED THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his brilliant 78. Says that initially the ball was new, so it was coming nicely onto the bat. But post that, once the ball got older, batting became difficult and hence, the plan was to keep pushing for singles and twos. Is thankful to the Punjab franchise for recruiting him in the Indian T20 League. Calls Ashwin a legend and admits that he was trying to impress his skipper with his knock.

Trichy Grand Cholas skipper, Antony Dhas, says that it was a good game by his bowlers, restricting Dindigul to 160, but still feels that they conceded 15 runs too many. Admits that there were way too many dot balls in the middle overs, against Ashwin and Chakaravarthy and wishes that more big shots were attempted in that phase. On Easwaran K's hattrick, Dhas calls him a hard worker and says that he has a good understanding on how to bowl on different wickets. Feels proud for him, as to take 6 wickets in a T20 is no mean feat. Overall, he laments the extra runs given away in the middle overs with the ball.

... THE PRESENTATION ...

Almost a no show with the bat by Trichy. They relied too heavily on Sanjay Yadav and Jafar Jamal and the rest simply did not turn up. Only one batter crossed 25 and that was way too late, a cameo of 31 from 17 by Ravi Rajkumar towards the end, more of a help to improve their net run rate, rather than giving them a chance for a win. Their bowling attack looks good but the batting needs some experience. Only one partnership blossomed and that was 39 between S Shyam Sundar and Sanjay Yadav, for the 5th wicket.

Dindigul stuck to their task from the start. Sandeep Warrier struck in his very first over and from there on, the team kept picking wickets at regular intervals. Majority of the bowlers bowled decent lines and lengths, but the experienced blokes stepped up. Warrier was excellent with the new and old ball, while Ashwin and Chakaravarthy spun their web in the middle overs. The two spinners went for a combined 8-0-40-4, with Ashwin taking 3 of those. A clinical captain that he is, Ashwin might feel that they should have won by a few more runs, but he will take this winning start to their 2024 campaign.

A closer margin than what it seemed at the halfway mark of the chase, but Dindigul Dragons have executed a professional win. Clinical bowling, excellent fielding except for the last couple of overs and pinpoint bowling changes. Trichy Grand Cholas continue to search for their first win post 2022, but they can take heart from the way they ended with both, bat and ball.

A single to end the game and Dindigul Dragons have won it by 16 runs. Full and wide of off, Saravana Kumar slices this through point for a single. Saravana Kumar doesn't look like a no. 9 batter. He has shown his batting skills but in a losing cause.

DROPPED, SIX! And that takes the score past 140. A length ball, outside off, Saravana Kumar swings for the heavens on the leg side. There is Vimal Khumar stationed at the ropes and these days, we see these types of catches taken, in terms of pushing the ball back in play. But even before he can attempt, Khumar's foot touches the ropes and eventually, he parries it beyond the boundary.

FOUR! Beautifully played. A length ball, outside off, Saravana Kumar opens the face of his bat and lofts this graciously over cover, inside out.

DROPPED! That's another one put down. Toughie for Baba Indrajith. A length ball, outside off, Kannan Vignesh slashes hard and gets a thick outside edge. The keeper, Indrajith dives to his left, but cannot hang on. A single taken off the deflection.

WIDE! On a length way too wide outside off, Kannan Vignesh leaves it. This was a close call by the umpire.

Kannan Vignesh walks in at number 10, replacing Ravi Rajkumar.

OUT! Caught! Rajkumar holes out. Fuller, wider, outside off, Rajkumar looks to go straighter, targetting long off, but cannot clear the man. Simple catch for Boopathi Kumar at long off. His second catch of the evening. Some fight shown by Rajkumar, a fine cameo of 31 from 17 balls. Trichy are 131/8, can they get to 140 and minimise the defeat margin?

OUT! Caught! Rajkumar holes out. Fuller, wider, outside off, Rajkumar looks to go straighter, targetting long off, but cannot clear the man. Simple catch for Boopathi Kumar at long off. His second catch of the evening. Some fight shown by Rajkumar, a fine cameo of 31 from 17 balls. Trichy are 131/8, can they get to 140 and minimise the defeat margin?

FOUR! Not a bad shot. Short and wide outside off, Ravi Rajkumar slaps it over point. 30 needed from 5 balls now.