Self-taught, pressure-tested: M. Poiyamozhi's TNPL blueprint
After restricting the Trichy Grand Cholas to 28 for four in the PowerPlay while defending 180, the Salem Spartans looked firmly in control. But a 41-ball, 88-run stand between R. Rajkumar and J. Kousik threatened to snatch the game away. When Rajkumar fell in the 17th over, the match hung in the balance — 16 needed off the final six balls.
Despite conceding 34 in his previous two overs, the ball was handed to M. Poiyamozhi. The first delivery — an attempted yorker missed its mark by a few inches and was whipped to the boundary. Now 12 from 5.
Then came the switch.
The experienced pacer went back to his trusted slower ball. Only four runs came off the remaining five deliveries. Kousik fell on the last ball, undone by an off-pace short ball. Spartans clinched a nervy win, and Poiyamozhi had delivered once again.
'My slower ball grips in general, but because of the wet ball (following a drizzle ahead of the game), the ball was coming on well for the batters. I decided to go with Plan B — the yorker,' Poiyamozhi told Sportstar.
'I have played countless TNPL matches, but when it comes down to 16 from 6, the pressure is always on the bowler. I was trying to stay calm and give myself confidence. I tried the slower yorker next up. It landed, and it proved difficult to hit.'
Poiyamozhi has made a habit of standing up when it matters. With 57 wickets in just 40 matches, he sits ninth on the all-time TNPL wicket-takers list. His strike rate of 15.61 is second-best among the top 10 — proof of a bowler who thrives under pressure.
His current reputation as a death-overs specialist didn't come easy. It came through years of adjustment, rejection, and self-instruction.
'Four years back, I used to bowl a couple of overs in the PowerPlay, but as I gained experience, I started bowling at the death. My seam-up delivery used to swing and move off the deck earlier, but the team wanted someone to bowl at the death,' he said.
'Even now, I can show that I can bowl good pace, but that's not what my team wants. My job is to ensure I don't concede many at the death.'
A native of Avadi, Poiyamozhi began with the Thiruvallur Under-15 district team. But he never progressed beyond the district level. For years, he stayed stuck in the system with no formal coach and no first-class pathway.
'I was quick then, but I used to leak a lot of runs. I had no idea what I should bowl. It is only after the advent of T20 cricket that I realised I need variations.'
Poiyamozhi's current reputation as a death-overs specialist didn't come easy. | Photo Credit: TNPL
Much of his craft — slower balls, yorkers, angles — was self-taught.
'In the U-15s, we used to play 10-over or six-over games, and we only had two overs to bowl, so we tried picking as many wickets as possible,' he said.
'We were taught to bowl line and length and target the right areas later in league cricket, but I found that hard. I was able to bowl only three out of six balls in the right areas because I kept going after picking wickets.'
In 2024, Poiyamozhi was playing third-division cricket for Sical Recreation Club, picking six wickets in seven games to help secure promotion. At 32, he knows his ceiling may be limited, but he also knows what TNPL has given him — and others like him.
'There was very little support from home. Injuries kept recurring. My mom asked why I continue to play despite having completed my education,' he said.
'I loved playing cricket, and I requested some time to figure things out. It was the TNPL that helped me convince them. The fact that they were able to see me on TV gave them the confidence that I'm getting somewhere with the game.'
That journey has already made a difference at home. His younger brother, M. Udhaya Kumar, made his TNPL debut this season for Nellai Royal Kings.
'He grew up looking at me playing cricket, so his run-up and bowling action are quite similar to mine,' Poiyamozhi said.
'Because of my TNPL success, my brother found it a lot easier. Not just my life, but many cricketers' lives have been changed by TNPL.'
In a league full of eye-catching six-hitters and flashy young talents, Poiyamozhi's story is different. No academy grooming. No early state caps. Just grit, slow balls, and belief.
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