In the opening match of the GMR Andhra Premier League (APL) 2025 between Kakinada Kings and Capital Amaravathi Royals at the ACA VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on August 8, the latter clinched a three-wicket triumph. Kings’ captain Kona Srikar Bharat and KP Sai Rahul shone with their bats in the first innings. Bharat played a brilliant knock of 93 (46), while Rahul hammered 96 (49). In the rain-curtailed run chase, Royals’ skipper Hanuma Vihari notched up a superb knock of 39 off 17. His innings was studded with seven boundaries (six fours and a maximum). Vihari became the player of the match (POTM) for his marvellous batting display, which was quite important for his team’s victory.
Earlier, Capital Amaravathi Royals’ captain Hanuma Vihari won the toss against his counterpart Kona Srikar Bharat and elected to field first in the first game of the GMR APL 2025. Kings’ skipper Bharat came out to open the innings with Pitta Arjun Tendulkar. In the third over, Tendulkar became the victim of Gavvala Mallikarjuna. The opener departed after scoring only six off 10.
After losing the first wicket at the score of 14, Kakinada witnessed the fine second-wicket stand between their captain Srikar and KP Sai Rahul, who came to bat at number three. Both took Amaravathi’s bowling attack to the cleaners. Sai Rahul completed his fifty in 27 balls, while Bharat brought his half-century after consuming 23 deliveries. The two built a 183-run stand off just 90 balls for the second wicket.
Sai Rahul departed after scoring quick 96 off just 49, while captain Bharat smashed an incredible 93 off only 46. Both were picked up by left-arm pacer Santosh Kumar, who bowled the 18th over of the game. After the fall of both top-order batters, M Lekhaz Reddy exhibited his batting prowess and scored a brisk 14 off just five. In the final over of the innings, he collected two boundaries to help Kakinada post a colossal score of 229/5 in 20 overs, the highest in GMR APL history. For Royals, Santosh Kumar was the most successful bowler as he grabbed 2/46 figures in his four overs. Mallikarjuna, Battina Yashwanth, and B Ayyappa also got one wicket apiece in their four-over spells respectively.
The second innings got delayed for nearly an hour due to rain and Amaravathi were tasked to chase 173 runs in 14 overs, as per the DLS method. Pursuing the target, Amaravathi got a solid start from their openers Vihari and Kirdant Karan Shinde. The openers added 54 runs together for the first wicket in just 24 balls. Speedster SK Kamaruddin broke their partnership as he got the better of Shinde, who was hammering bowlers at the strike rate of more than 200.00. Shinde walked back to the dugout after hitting 28 off just 12.
The next over, Pinninti Tapaswi cleaned up Vihari, who was doing exceptional with his bat. Seeram Venkata Rahul contributed 16 runs after facing nine balls. Tapaswi hunted Seeram’s scalp and after the top-order batter’s fall, P Manikanta Gangadhar handed the momentum to his team after sending wicketkeeper batter Singupuram Prasad back to the pavilion on a duck.
After four balls, Kings’ Yarragunta Pramod stood tall against Sandeep, who could chip in with only 16 off nine. Penmetsa Panduranga Raju and Akula Vijay held their nerves in the crunch situation and produced the innings of 26 (15) and 30 (14). Their 56-run stand off just 25 balls kept Amaravathi in the chase. In the final over, Royals required 12, and Bandaru Ayyappa struck a couple of sixes against Sirla Srinivas, to take his team home with three wickets in hand and four balls left in the match.
Kings’ next challenge is against Vijayawada Sunshiners on August 10, while Capital Amaravathi Royals’ upcoming clash is against Tungabhadra Warriors on August 11. As it was the first game of the GMR APL 2025, victorious Capital Amaravathi Royals have topped the table, while the losing team Kakinada Kings are now at the bottom of the tally.