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SKM Salem Spartans will be desperate to revive their Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2026 campaign when they face Nellai Royal Kings in Match 24 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, August 20. The evening encounter is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST.
Salem have endured a difficult campaign so far and will need a strong finish to their league-stage schedule to keep their playoff hopes alive. Their squad, however, contains several experienced performers, including Nidhish Rajagopal, C Hari Nishaanth, M Mohammed, S Ajith Ram, M Poiyamozhi and Sunny Sandhu.
The Spartans’ batting has largely revolved around Nidhish Rajagopal, who was their leading run-scorer with 119 runs after the early phase of the tournament. M Poiyamozhi, meanwhile, had emerged as their leading wicket-taker with six wickets.
With the final XI set to be confirmed only at the toss, here is the predicted playing XI of SKM Salem Spartans for Match 24 against Nellai Royal Kings.
C Hari Nishaanth is expected to open the innings for Salem and will be one of their key players at the top of the order.
The left-handed batter has considerable experience in domestic T20 cricket and possesses the stroke-making ability to take advantage of the powerplay. Salem will need him to provide an aggressive start, particularly against a Nellai attack that contains several bowling options.
A substantial contribution from Nishaanth could also take some pressure off Nidhish Rajagopal in the middle order.
R Kavin is likely to partner Hari Nishaanth at the top while also taking the wicketkeeping duties.
The wicketkeeper-batter offers Salem another attacking option during the fielding restrictions. His ability to rotate the strike will be important if Nellai’s bowlers manage to keep the scoring under control.
Kavin’s role could become even more significant if Salem lose an early wicket.
Nidhish Rajagopal should occupy the No. 3 position and remains one of the most important batters in the Salem line-up.
He was the Spartans’ leading run-scorer with 119 runs at the time of their previous fixture, underlining his consistency in a difficult campaign.
Rajagopal can anchor the innings while also shifting gears when required. Salem will be hoping he can produce a substantial contribution against Nellai.
Boopathi Vaishna Kumar is likely to feature in the middle order. He provides another left-handed batting option and can help Salem maintain momentum during the middle overs.
His role will be particularly important if the Spartans lose one or two wickets during the powerplay. Rather than allowing Nellai’s bowlers to build pressure, Boopathi will need to keep the scoreboard moving.
S Harish Kumar should continue as a batting all-rounder.
His ability to contribute with both bat and ball provides captain M Mohammed with additional tactical flexibility. Harish Kumar can be promoted if Salem require greater aggression or used lower down the order as a finisher.
His bowling could also prove useful if the Chepauk surface offers assistance to slower bowlers.
Captain M Mohammed will be one of the most important figures in Salem’s playing XI.
The experienced seamer can influence the match with the ball and will have the responsibility of making the right tactical calls against Nellai’s batting unit. His experience should also help the Spartans manage the pressure of a must-win-type encounter.
Mohammed could be used with the new ball before returning during the death overs.
Sunny Sandhu is expected to provide Salem with lower-order hitting and another seam-bowling option.
The all-rounder’s ability to clear the boundaries makes him useful in the latter stages of an innings. He can also provide valuable overs, giving Salem greater depth in the bowling department.
If the Spartans are able to preserve wickets until the final five overs, Sandhu could play an important finishing role.
S Ajith Ram is likely to be one of Salem’s primary spin options.
The left-arm spinner can be particularly effective in the middle overs, where his ability to vary pace and trajectory can force batters to take risks. Against Nellai’s aggressive middle order, Ajith Ram’s spell could be crucial.
He also gives Salem a reliable option to bowl when the opposition’s batters are looking to accelerate.
M Poiyamozhi should retain his place after emerging as Salem’s leading wicket-taker early in the campaign.
He had six wickets to his name before the Spartans’ previous fixture, making him one of their most reliable wicket-taking options.
Poiyamozhi’s ability to attack the stumps and generate movement makes him particularly valuable with the new ball. Salem will look to him for an early breakthrough against Nellai’s top order.
Rahil Shah could be included as another specialist spin option.
The experienced left-arm spinner has extensive domestic cricket experience and can be particularly effective when conditions favour spin. At Chepauk, his ability to bowl economically and create pressure could be an important weapon.
His main objective will be to restrict Nellai’s scoring during the middle overs.
Karthick Manikandan is likely to complete the XI as another bowling option.
He provides Salem with additional pace and can be used according to match-ups during the innings. If the Spartans decide to attack Nellai with seam during the powerplay, Manikandan could share the new-ball responsibilities with M Mohammed or Poiyamozhi.
C Hari Nishaanth, R Kavin (wk), Nidhish Rajagopal, Boopathi Vaishna Kumar, S Harish Kumar, M Mohammed (c), Sunny Sandhu, S Ajith Ram, M Poiyamozhi, Rahil Shah, Karthick Manikandan
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