The two best teams of the tournament are about to square off in Qualifier 1. The winner will earn a direct entry into the final, while the losing team will get a second chance of making it to the title decider.
This is the first time that Ruby Trichy Warriors have finished in the top four, and this will be their first knockout/qualifier game. Prior to this season, they had finished seventh thrice (2016, 2017 and 2019) and sixth once (2018). They have been in top form this season and finished at the top of the points table at the end of the league stages.
RTW finished with five wins and two losses. Their two losses came against Lyca Kovai Kings and Dindigul Dragons. Interestingly, both of those came while batting first.
The two-time and defending champions Chepauk Super Gillies ended the league stages with four wins, two losses and a no-result. They didn’t have the best of starts to this tournament as their first game was washed out before they lost to Nellai Royal Kings.
However, the Kaushik Gandhi-led side bounced back to win four games in a row and seal a spot in the playoffs. They did lose their last league encounter against the Warriors, which saw them finish second.
CSG may not be too fused about that loss. They are the most successful side in the history of the TNPL (champions twice and runners-up once), and they will back themselves to bounce back in style.
Key players
N Jagadeesan started off this TNPL season with a bang. The CSG opener and wicket-keeper batsman got scores of 95, 52 and 40 in his first three innings in this tournament. However, his form has tapered off, and he has mustered a mere 24 runs in his last three innings. Known for his ability to deliver in big games, Jagadeesan will be the key at the top of the order for his side.
R Sai Kishore has played just four games in this 2021 TNPL season. The left-arm spinner toured Sri Lanka with the Indian squad, and once he returned, he has been fantastic. Kishore has picked up eight wickets from just four games and has an economy rate of 5.56. He is striking once every two overs. Add to that, Sai Kishore has chipped in well with the bat too and has got 53 runs. Hence, he will definitely be the one to watch out for.
P Saravana Kumar is the joint-highest wicket-taker in this TNPL edition. Overall, he has returned with 11 wickets at an average of 14.81 and an economy rate of 6.79. The 31-year-old pacer has gone wicketless only twice in this entire tournament, and apart from that, he has taken two wickets in every other game.Tt, the two games that he didn’t pick a wicket, Ruby Trichy Warriors lost both the games. Kumar will once again be vital for his team.
Nidhish Rajagopal has been batting really well in the last few games. The Ruby Trichy Warriors left-hander has got four scores in excess of 40 in his last six innings. In fact, his last six scores in this tournament read – 45, 0, 45, 47 not out, 22 and 66 not out. Overall, he has amassed 225 runs at an average of 45.00, which puts him fifth on the list of most runs in this TNPL. Thus, at No. 3, Rajagopal could be crucial for the Ruby Trichy Warriors.
Prediction
Ruby Trichy Warriors and Chepauk Super Gillies have squared off five times in the history of the Tamil Nadu Premier League. The Warriors have two wins while the Gillies have won three. Earlier this season, RTW recorded the win, which helped them finish at the top of the points table at the end of the league stages.
Both teams have been in good form throughout this T20 tournament. Chepauk Super Gillies may have lost their last league game, but they might be slight favourites heading into this qualifier fixture. They are the defending champions and also have the experience of featuring in the playoffs multiple times.
However, Ruby Trichy Warriors have momentum on their side and have won three games in a row. They will look to carry that forward.
