The legends are turning back the clock in the Legends League Cricket and in some cases, they seem to be surprising themselves with the things that they are still able to do on the cricket field.
A case in point could be seen in a match between the India Maharajas led by Gautam Gambhir and the World Giants led by Aaron Finch. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh got the breakthrough for the Maharajas by bowling out West Indies great Chris Gayle in a rather spectacular fashion.
Harbhajan bowled Gayle around his legs. Gayle had looked to paddle the ball around but seemed to be rather late to it as it crashed onto the leg stump. The former West Indies captain seem to take a couple of seconds to process the dismissal while Harbhajan himself looked quite stunned.
— cricket ranger (@ranger_cricket) March 12, 2023
World Giants pulled off a thrilling two-run win over India Maharajas in the second match of the LLC Masters at the Asia Town Cricket Stadium in Doha. The edge-of-the-seat thriller followed after World Giants had posted 166 for 8 in 20 overs riding on skipper Aaron Finch’s 53 off 31 balls with seven boundaries and three sixes and Shane Watson’s 55 runs off 32 balls with five boundaries and three sixes.
A captain’s knock of 68 from Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh’s four-wicket spell for 13 runs for Indian Maharajas, unfortunately, went in vain. It was Gambhir’s second consecutive half-century after his 54 against Asia Lions in the opener and his 68 in this match came off 42 balls with nine boundaries and one six. With eight runs needed off the last over, Brett Lee gave away just five runs to give the defending champions World Giants a winning start.
Earlier, World Giants won the toss and elected to bat. ‘The Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle, who opened with his skipper Aaron Finch, smashed the second delivery from Irfan Pathan to the extra cover boundary.
Harbhajan Singh, who bowled the third over struck with his first delivery clean bowling Gayle with a beauty that spun in to hit the leg stump. Gayle trying to play a paddle shot, missed the turn and fell for 4. Shane Watson greeted Harbhajan with two consecutive boundaries – the first an elegant sweep to fine leg and another a pull to backward square leg.
Despite the severe onslaught on him by Finch, Indian Maharajas skipper Gautam Gambhir continued with Ojha. Finch celebrated the decision by hitting Ojha’s second delivery to fine leg and then scoring two consecutive sixes – both over extra cover. Finch reached his half-century in just 26 balls.
Watson flicked a six off Stuart Binny, who bowled the eighth over. Pravin Tambe, the 51-year-old leg-break bowler, well known for his ability to provide breakthroughs, did it with the last delivery of his first over. He had Finch caught by wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa for 53 runs while attempting a cut shot. Finch’s knock came off 31 balls with seven boundaries and three sixes.
World Giants went past the 100-run mark through a classy square-driven boundary from Watson off Irfan Pathan in the 10th over. Tambe bowled a brilliant 11th over giving away just five runs. Watson raced to his half-century hitting Pathan for two sixes in the 12th over. Tambe removed Watson too by having him caught at long-on by Murali Vijay.
Jacques Kallis got out, caught by the agile Mohammad Kaif at mid-wicket off Pathan for 8. Ross Taylor, who had played some lovely knocks in the second edition of this league, and Kevin O’Brien pushed the score to 135 for 4 in 15 overs when Kaif produced another flying catch, diving forward to get Kevin O’Brien out for 4 off Harbhajan Singh.
Tino Best and Chris Mpofu picked 18 runs off Yusuf Pathan. who bowled the 19th over and World Giants ended up at 166 for 8 in 20 overs.
Chasing a run rate of 8.30, Robin Uthappa opened with his skipper Gautam Gambhir. Brett Lee bowled a tight first over giving away just four runs. Hoverer The 50-run partnership came in 5.2 overs. Gambhir was severe on Chris Mpofu and hit him for a six over the covers and also scored three boundaries to pick 20 runs off the over.
The 65 runs-opening partnership, fully utilizing the powerplay, ended when Ricardo Powell had Uthappa caught by Kevin O’Brien for 29. Murali Vijay joined Gambhir and maintained the run flow and hit O’Brien for a six over square leg but retired hurt at the score of 91.
Gambhir reached his second consecutive half-century in 28 balls and escaped being caught to the next ball off O’Brien as Mpofu dropped him at deep mid-wicket.
In the 15th over, Mpofu clean bowled Raina for 19, when India Maharajas needed 37 from 34 balls. Gambhir too got bowled for 68 when 33 runs were needed in 29 deliveries. The two fresh batsmen, Yusuf Pathan, and Mohammad Kaif, then kept moving the score toward the target.
When 22 runs were needed off 12 balls, Yusuf Pathan was brilliantly caught by Powell for 7 off the bowling of Best. Kaif lifted Mpofu over long on for a six to make it 11 off eight balls.
In the last over, India Maharajas needed eight runs off six balls. Stuart Binny pulled Lee to Powell for 2 to make it seven runs off three balls. With five runs needed off the last ball, Pathan could get only two runs. Lee gave just five runs in the last over to seal his team’s victory.