Bathinda Royals began their campaign in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League 2026 with a solid performance, defeating Mohali Kings by seven wickets. The match took place at the I.S. Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Monday. This victory marks a promising start for the Royals in the tournament.
Royals Dominate Early with Key Wickets
The Royals opted to bowl first and swiftly made their mark, leaving the Mohali Kings struggling at 34 for 3 by the seventh over. Gourav Choudhary initiated the collapse by dismissing Gurmehar Sara for a duck on the very first ball.
Sumit Sharma followed up by removing Manpreet Johal, who managed just 11 runs off 19 balls. Anmolpreet Singh added 8 runs from 10 balls before falling, putting the Mohali Kings in a precarious position early in their innings.
Captain Ramandeep Singh and Aryan Bhatia then steadied the innings with a crucial 55-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Mohali Kings concluded their innings with a total of 176/9 in 20 overs. Aryan Bhatia was the top scorer for Mohali, scoring 48 off 37 balls, supported by Ramandeep, who contributed significantly during the middle overs. Chasing 177, Bathinda Royals initially struggled and were 54/3. The pair formed an unbeaten 126-run partnership for the fourth wicket, enabling Bathinda to win comfortably. Gourav spearheaded the effort with an impressive 76 off 45 balls, while Ridham offered valuable support with an unbeaten 51* off 40 balls.
However, Bathinda continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals and kept the scoring under control. Gourav Choudhary and Sumit Sharma were the standout bowlers for the Royals, claiming three wickets each. However, Gourav Choudhary responded by taking charge with the bat. Gourav teamed up with Ridham Satyawan and significantly altered the pace of the chase. They started slowly but later sped up, forcing the Mohali bowling attack to face increased pressure.
Royals Secure Victory with Strong All-Round Display
The Royals successfully chased their target, winning by seven wickets with three wickets to spare. Gourav’s all-round performance played a pivotal role in this achievement, showcasing his crucial contribution to the team’s success.
