CV Milind stars as Anvita Khammam Aces beat Ranga Reddy Risers at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium

Anvita Khammam Aces secured a five-wicket victory over Ranga Reddy Risers in the TG20 League tournament at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday. Led by skipper C.V. Milind's all-round performance, the victory elevated the Aces to third place in the standings, boosting their chances of securing a spot in the play-offs.

Aces captain Milind made an immediate impact upon his return to the side. He dismissed Ranga Reddy Risers opener Aaron George for four runs off just two balls in the second ball of the contest.

The Risers struggled early on, reeling at 82/4. However, Aditya Javvaji and Tanay Thyagarajann helped rebuild the innings, dragging their side past the 100-run mark in the thirteenth over to set up a platform for a big finish.

Despite their efforts, the Risers managed to score only 31 runs in the final five overs. Milind was the pick of the bowlers for the Aces, finishing with figures of 3/34. Harshith and Ved Reddy also contributed by taking two wickets each, restricting the Risers to 147/9 in their 20 overs. Aditya Javvaji top-scored for the Risers with 43 runs, while Gnana Prakash Reddy made 36.

The Aces faced a difficult start to their run chase, losing three wickets during the powerplay. Vice-captain Himateja Kodimela then stabilized the innings, scoring 45 runs off 28 balls and sharing a 72-run partnership to lay the foundation for the chase.

The Risers' bowler T. Arun Kumar broke the partnership by dismissing Himateja immediately after a brief restart. Arun Kumar went on to claim his third wicket by dismissing Mickil Jaiswal, who had scored 30 runs, in the fifteenth over. Arun Kumar finished with bowling figures of 3/24.

Milind then stepped up with the bat to guide the Aces home. He scored an unbeaten 29 runs off 21 balls, partnering with Sahendra Mallu, who remained undefeated on four runs off seven balls. The pair comfortably took the Aces to 150/5 in 17.1 overs, winning the match with 17 balls to spare. Milind was named the player of the match for his performance.