The chase began brightly for the Challengers, courtesy of Nijin Antony’s sparkling 69 off 36 balls that kept them in the hunt. He played some dazzling shots, finding the boundary at will, and received early support from Sanoj Abdu, who scored 38 off 26. But once Antony fell at 125 for 2 in the 12th over, the innings unraveled quickly. Skipper Richu Musaliar managed only 14 before being stumped, while Saleesh Lakshmanan (11 off 5) tried to counterattack but perished at 151 for 4. The middle and lower order collapsed under scoreboard pressure, with wickets tumbling in clusters. The innings folded at 187 in 18.2 overs, well short of the imposing target.

For Mangalore, Muhammed Fazil was unstoppable with the ball, taking 5 for 36 in his four overs, dismantling the Bengaluru batting and striking at critical moments. He was well supported by Vedhas, who returned with 3 for 37, and Praatham Mahale, who picked up the last wicket to seal the win. Their combined effort ensured Bengaluru’s chase never fully gathered steam despite Antony’s heroics.