The Royal Nimar Eagles officially booked their spot in the grand final of the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026 under highly dramatic, weather-interrupted circumstances at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. Continuous torrential rain forced officials to abandon the first semi-final match against the Rewa Jaguars, resulting in a "No Result" ruling that directly favored the Eagles due to tournament regulations. The Royal Nimar Eagles won the toss, electing to field under overcast skies. Their bowlers capitalised instantly, reducing the Rewa Jaguars to a precarious 41/4 in 7.2 overs before heavy rain hit. Parush Mandal struck early, removing Akshat Raghuwanshi for a golden duck. Despite Jaguars captain Prithviraj Tomar's brief 25-run counter-attack, spinner Kumar Kartikeya took two quick wickets, and Dharmesh Patel dismissed Tomar just as the heavens opened.
As the rain persisted into the evening, groundstaff were unable to prepare the field for even a shortened 5-over contest. Under the official Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) guidelines for the 2026 MPL, knockout matches tracking a "No Result" do not feature a reserve day or a Super Over. Instead, the team finishing higher in the league standings automatically advances. The Eagles put together a spectacular league run, losing only one match and capturing the absolute best net run rate (+1.380) across the entire tournament circuit. The Royal Nimar Eagles will take the pitch on June 26, 2026, for the ultimate championship clash. They will face off against the winner of the second semi-final match between the tournament-leading, undefeated Chambal Ghariyals and the Jabalpur Royal Lions.
Chambal Ghariyals make brisk start as Jabalpur Royal Lions seek way back into semi-final
Chambal Ghariyals made a positive start against Jabalpur Royal Lions in the second semi-final of the Madhya Pradesh League 2026 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Thursday. After being asked to bat first, the tournament leaders raced to 53/1 at the end of five overs, maintaining their aggressive approach that has helped them remain unbeaten this season.
The Ghariyals lost an early wicket but quickly regained momentum, with their top-order batters finding boundaries at regular intervals. Chambal looked intent on capitalising on the powerplay and putting pressure back on the Lions, who elected to field first in an attempt to exploit any assistance available for the bowlers.
Jabalpur Royal Lions, meanwhile, will be aiming to pull things back through their experienced bowling unit. Captain Rahul Batham has several options at his disposal, including spinner Mihir Hirwani and pacers Sanjog Nijjar and Akshay Sharma, all of whom played key roles in helping the side qualify for the knockout stages. Having already suffered a high-scoring defeat to Chambal during the league phase, the Lions know the importance of restricting the in-form batting line-up before the innings gets out of hand. Chambal, on the other hand, will look to continue their strong start and post a commanding total as they seek to book their place in the MPL 2026 final against Royal Nimar Eagles.
