Madurai Panthers vs Trichy Grand Cholas Prediction & Match Preview – TNPL Qualifier 1

Madurai Panthers and Trichy Grand Cholas meet in Qualifier 1 of the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday evening.

Madurai needed a big win in their final league game and got one. They posted 198/5, the highest total in Chennai this TNPL season, after slipping to 40/3. Hari Ragavendra and Shoaib Md Khan then added 60 for the fourth wicket, and Atheeq Ur Rahman made an unbeaten 50 off 27. Nellai were dismissed for 126. Atheeq has 212 runs this season, with NS Chaturved on 210, and Hari Ragavendra has scored 147 in his last three matches.

Trichy were the first team to reach the playoffs. They beat Chepauk Super Gillies by 14 runs, scoring 191/7 with Sanjay Yadav on 54 and S Shyam Sundar on 52, and they have won five of their last six matches, four of them batting first. K Rajkumar has 245 runs, J Suresh Kumar 204 at a strike rate of 175, and Shyam Sundar 169 in four matches. K Easwaran has taken 14 wickets, while V Athisayaraj Davidson and Antony Dhas have 10 each.

It should be a good contest, but we back Madurai’s batting.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Batting should be easier during the powerplay at Chennai, but the pitch may slow down as the match goes on, bringing the spinners into the game. A first-innings total of 165–170 should be competitive, and 175 or more would put the chasing team under strong pressure.

Weather

Warm and humid conditions are forecast, with temperatures of 28–30°C and cloud around. There is a moderate to high chance of rain or thunderstorms at match time, so interruptions are a real risk, especially early on. If it stays dry, dew could help the ball skid on in the second innings.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 170–180
• 2nd innings: 160–170

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