The eighth game of the GMR Andhra Premier League (APL) 2025 played at the ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on August 12, 2023, ended in Capital Amaravathi Royals’ favour as they defeated Bhimavaram Bulls by three wickets in a last-over thriller. Amaravathi’s top-order batter SV Rahul emerged as the player of the match (POTM) for assisting his team to complete the chase, with his rapid 52 off just 25.
The toss favoured Capital Amaravathi Royals captain Hanuma Vihari and he elected to bowl first. Nimmala Himakar and K Revanth Reddy delivered an extraordinary start to Bhimavaram Bulls with a 137-run opening stand off just 81 balls. Left-handed spinner T Atchuth Hemanth Kumar got rid of Himakar and delivered the first breakthrough to Capital in the 14th over of the contest.
Nimmala went back to the dugout after notching up 81 runs off 44 balls. In the next over, M Hemanth Reddy fell against BS Vinay Kumar after scoring only six off five. Revanth’s (69 off 50) innings was ended by Bandaru Ayyappa, who got him caught at the hands of K Karan Shinde. Surya Teja, who came at number four also got out after scoring a run-a-ball 14 runs.
Muvvala Yuvan got a chance to attempt three balls and he accumulated seven runs with a maximum. He and B Munish Varma returned to the pavilion unbeaten. Bhimavaram Bulls ended up posting 191 runs for the loss four wickets in 20 overs. BS Vinay Kumar was the most economical bowler for Capital as he registered figures of 1/27 in his four-over spell. Ayyappa, B Santosh Kumar, and T Atchuth Hemanth Kumar also scalped a wicket each.
Chasing the target, Capital Amaravathi Royals lost K Karan Shinde in the second over. Pacer M Hari Shankar Reddy got the better of the left-handed opener. Skipper Hanuma Vihari and SV Rahul stitched a 69-run stand for the second wicket off just 36 balls. Left-handed orthodox spinner Pinninti Tejaswi held his nerves and shattered their partnership as he outsmarted Vihari and got him caught and bold. Hanuma scored 37 runs off 24 balls.
In his second over, Tejaswi struck again as he dismissed SV Rahul and Yarra Sandeep. Rahul was looking in brilliant touch as he was playing at the strike rate of 200.00. Rahul’s innings included eight boundaries (three fours and five sixes). When the spinner came to bowl his third over, he trapped SDNV Prasad, who endeavoured to play a huge shot but got caught at the hands of Satya Narayan Raju.
BS Vinay Kumar looked in a haste and he became the victim of TV Sai Saran while playing an attacking stroke. With Amaravathi reeling at a total of 113 in 12.4 overs, P Pandurangaraju and Ayyappa showcased their valiant side and produced brisk innings from their bats. Pandurangaraju fell against his elder brother Satya Narayan and went back to the pavilion after scoring 20 off 12. However, Ayyappa didn’t lose hope and hammered an unbeaten 26 off just 10. With Royals requiring five off three, Ayyapa hit a match-winning six and took his team home.
Bhimavaram Bulls will next take on Vijayawada Sun Shiners on August 13 while Capitals, after their latest win, will square off against Simhadri Vizag Lions on August 16. Amaravathi are holding the top spot with six points earned through three off three wins while Bulls are in the fourth position with one win from two contests.