Parth Blazes First Ton of MPL Season, Cheetahs Win Big

Indore: After suffering defeat in their opening outing, Gwalior Cheetahs roared back into contention in Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup with a thrilling 12-run win over Bhopal Leopards at Holkar Stadium on Friday.The victory was built around a match winning century from Gwalior opener Parth Chaudhary and a typically aggressive contribution from captain Rajat Patidar. It was the first century of the MPL season.With the match reduced to 18 overs a side following a rain delay, the Cheetahs wasted little time in taking charge. Chaudhary and Kartik Parihar tore into the Leopards’ attack, racing to a 90-run opening stand in just over seven overs. Parihar’s 35 off 22 balls set the tone before Chaudhary took centre stage.The right-hander produced the innings of the tournament so far, hammering 107 off only 51 deliveries with nine boundaries and seven sixes. Patidar then joined the party, striking 29 from 15 balls as the duo added 79 runs and kept the scoreboard moving at a relentless pace. Late blows from Vikas Sharma and Arpit Patel lifted Gwalior to a formidable 220/8.Bhopal’s chase began brightly through Rahul Chandrol and Tanishq Yadav, but a dramatic middle-order collapse swung the match firmly in Gwalior’s favour. From 46 without loss, the Leopards slipped to 66/5 as the Cheetahs struck repeatedly.Just when the contest appeared over, Pawan Nirwani and Pranjul Puri reignited hopes with a counter-attacking 92-run stand. Puri made a brisk 38 while Nirwani brought up another impressive fifty, but the required rate continued to climb. Bhopal eventually finished on 208/7, falling 12 runs short.At Daly College, Chambal Ghariyals maintained their perfect start in the women’s competition with a comfortable nine-wicket victory over Royal Nimar Eagles in a rain-shortened seven-over match. Kanishka Thakur continued her rich vein of form, blasting an unbeaten 46 as Chambal chased down 63 in just 5.4 overs.The day’s closest finish came in the second women’s fixture where Gwalior Shernis held off Bhopal Wolves by two runs. Captain Nuzhat Parween led from the front with a half-century, while Sonam Yadav contributed 49. Defending 134, the Shernis kept their composure in the final over, with Riya Yadav’s four-wicket haul proving decisive in a nail-biting finish.Meanwhile, the final men’s match of the day was headed for an exciting finish at the time of filing this report. Opting to bat first, Ujjain Falcons posted a challenging 206/8 against defending champions Malwa Stallions, thanks largely to captain Chanchal Rathore’s 56 off 38 balls and another impactful knock from IPL sensation Madhav Tiwari, who struck 43 off 24 deliveries. Chasing 207, the Stallions were 136/2 after 13.3 overs and remained in the hunt with P. Kasde leading the charge. The aggressive batter had raced to an unbeaten 52 off just 23 balls, setting up a tense finish under the lights at Holkar Stadium.