C.K. Nayudu Trophy final: Dominant Tamil Nadu takes first innings lead against Maharashtra

Tamil Nadu took a significant step towards its maiden Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy title by securing a 71-run first-innings lead and ending day two on 309 for eight in the final against Maharashtra at the NPR College Cricket Ground here on Tuesday.

The contest marks Tamil Nadu’s first-ever final in the competition. Having already won the BCCI men’s Under-23 State-A (One-Day) Trophy, it is now eyeing a double this season – a feat Punjab achieved last season.

A 92-run seventh-wicket stand between Kiran Karthikeyan (66 n.o., 176b, 6×4) and left-hander Manav Parakh (47) helped Tamil Nadu overhaul Maharashtra’s 238. Kiran crafted an adhesive, attritional knock. A fleeting flourish came when he charged Abhishek Nishad and drove the left-arm spinner inside-out through cover for a four. A sublime cover drive off pacer Ajay Borude brought up his fifty. Manav relied on steady accumulation through singles (16), doubles (6), and a three, besides delicately late-cutting off-spinner Kiran Chormale for a four.

Earlier, skipper Boopathi Vaishna Kumar (44) and nightwatcher G. Govinth (31) added 55 for the fourth wicket. Left-hander Boopathi drove the scoring, while Govinth held fort at the other end. The southpaw was particularly impressive off the backfoot, notably pulling Chormale for a six to deep midwicket.

Chormale was the pick of the Maharashtra bowlers with three for 60.

Published on Mar 10, 2026