Mohali (Punjab) [India], August 31 (ANI): Mohali Kings pulled off a sensational run chase, riding on a spectacular century from Anmolpreet Singh to chase down the mammoth target of 259 runs and secure a thrilling five-wicket victory with three balls to spare.
Amritsar Soormas got off to a flying start after being put into bat by Mohali Kings in the opening match of the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League 2026 at the IS Bindra Stadium, according to a release.
The Abhishek Sharma-led side put up a massive 258 runs before getting bundled out, with their batters putting on an impressive display of power-hitting from the very beginning.
Abhishek and opening partner Sahaj Dhawan took the attack to the Mohali bowlers, racing to a 100-run opening partnership in just 5.1 overs. The pair found boundaries regularly and gave Amritsar complete control in the powerplay.
Dhawan was eventually dismissed for a quickfire 45 off 18 balls, but Abhishek continued his brilliant attack. The captain smashed 77 off just 26 deliveries, a knock decorated with six fours and seven sixes in a stunning display of clean hitting.
With the momentum firmly on their side, Naman Dhir joined the attack and kept the scoreboard moving at a rapid pace. Dhir smashed 47 off 22 balls before being dismissed, keeping the pressure firmly on the Mohali Kings bowling attack.
Rahul Kumar then carried the momentum forward, joining hands with Abhay Choudhary for a quick 23-run partnership in just two overs. Rahul eventually fell for 23 off 13 balls, with Tejpreet Singh providing Mohali with the breakthrough.
Tejpreet Singh was the pick of the Mohali Kings bowlers, finishing with three wickets for 38 runs in four overs.
With the top and middle order firing on all cylinders, Amritsar Soormas continued to pile on the runs and put themselves in a commanding position in the tournament opener.
In reply, Mohali Kings got off to a difficult start as Amritsar Soormas captain Abhishek Sharma struck in the very first over, dismissing Manpreet Johal for 0 off 2 balls.
However, Gurmehar Sara and Anmolpreet Singh quickly turned things around, putting together a brisk 62-run partnership. Sara played an attacking knock of 26 off 12 balls before being dismissed, giving Amritsar a much-needed breakthrough.
The Kings suffered another setback soon after when Aryan Bhatia was dismissed for 0 off 2, leaving the side in a spot of bother.
With the pressure building, Anmolpreet Singh and captain Ramandeep Singh took charge of the chase. The duo batted with confidence and produced a sensational 151-run partnership for the fourth wicket, completely changing the course of the game.
Anmolpreet was the star of the chase, smashing a stunning 133 off just 51 balls. His explosive innings kept Mohali Kings firmly in control and brought the required run rate within reach.
Ramandeep then took charge of the chase as the Kings moved closer to the target. He found good support from Harpreet, who scored a quick 23 off 8 balls, helping reduce the equation to just nine runs from the final two overs.
Harpreet was eventually dismissed in spectacular fashion when Naman Dhir took a brilliant catch off his own bowling, but by then Mohali were firmly in control.
Ramandeep kept his composure and finished the job in the final over. He remained unbeaten on a superb 69 off 40 balls, guiding Mohali Kings to a remarkable five-wicket victory with three balls to spare in a high-scoring thriller.
Reflecting on his knock, Anmolpreet said, as quoted in the release, "The situation was that we had to chase a big target, so I was backing my shots. I was talking to Ramandeep and telling him that this was the kind of wicket where, once you get set, you have to bat deep and look to score big. We were discussing that we needed to hit one or two boundaries in every over and then keep going. That was our plan, to stay till the end and take the game deep."
"We knew the situation was demanding. We needed around 12 or 13 runs an over, so we had to find two boundary shots in an over. We were constantly talking about how to play the situation. If I hit a boundary, Ramandeep would look to take a single or two, and if he hit a boundary, I would do the same. We were trying to keep the pressure on the bowlers while making sure that we kept the partnership going," he added. (ANI)
Anmolpreet Singh's ton powers Mohali Kings to record chase in Sher-E-Punjab T20 League opener
