Indore Pink Panthers captain Venkatesh Iyer praised young player Akshat Raghuwanshi after his impressive performance helped secure a six-run victory over Jabalpur Royal Lions in the Madhya Pradesh League T20 2025 on Saturday. The real highlight today was Akshat’s batting. He played amazing shots all over the field, and at just 21, I haven’t seen a more talented player. I’m hopeful big things are coming for him, Iyer said after the match.
Akshat shone with a brilliant 76 off 46 balls, hitting seven fours and five sixes, which brought Indore to a solid total of 183/7 after they chose to bat first. Even though they lost opener Arpit Gaud early, Akshat’s sharp batting and contributions from the middle order secured a strong innings.
Jabalpur’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Anubhav Agarwal, Pankaj Patel, Ritesh Shakya, Saransh Jain, and Dharmesh Patel each getting involved, alongside a couple of run-outs to keep the score in check during the final overs.
When it was Jabalpur’s turn to bat, they got off to a good start with a solid 80-run opening partnership between Siddharth Patidar and Dharmesh Patel, before Dharmesh was out after scoring a quick 57 off 28 balls. The match turned when leg-spinner Mihir Hirwani came into play, leading to Jabalpur losing five wickets and dropping from 80/0 to 95/5, with Hirwani finishing with impressive figures of 3/23. Siddharth, who looked strong, was eventually run out for 40 off 33 balls, and Iyer also took a wicket, leaving Jabalpur at 117/7.
Despite the struggles, Rahul Batham kept Jabalpur in contention with a late surge, scoring 58 off 36. With 20 runs needed off the last over, Iyer stepped up to bowl. After the first ball went for six, it came down to needing 11 off 2 balls. But Iyer held it together, got the key wicket of Batham, and secured the thrilling win.
I felt good about my bowling today. It had been a while since I last bowled well, said Iyer, who took 2 wickets, including in the final over. This win gives the Indore Pink Panthers a strong start to their season, while Jabalpur is still looking for their first points after their previous match was washed out.
Iyer also talked about the tournament’s value, saying, The MPL is really important for Madhya Pradesh. We’ve seen players making it to the IPL from here. This isn’t just an opportunity, but a chance that can change lives. Credit to MPCA for organizing such a great tournament. It’s a great platform not just for young players, but for all of us to test our skills.
He added, I don’t want to jinx anything, but I have high hopes for Akshat and Arpit. There’s also Sagar Solanki, who I think has great potential for the IPL.