Legends League Cricket (LLC) Masters 2023: World Giants Win A Last-Over Thriller Against India Maharajas. On March 11, World Giants were at odds with Gautam Gambhir-led India Maharajas at West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha. It was the second game of the Legends League Cricket Masters 2023 (LLC Masters).
Aaron Finch And Shane Watson Smashed Individual Fifties
World Giants skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and opted for bat first. Finch and Chris Gayle opened innings for the Giants. However, Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh dismissed Gayle in his first over. Next batter Watson smacked consecutive fours on the first two balls of his knock. Finch also started to play his attacking strokes and pummelled four sublime boundaries and one six in an over off-spinner Pragyan Ojha.
No bowler from Indian Maharajas could stop Finch and Watson from milking quick runs. Finch and Watson added 88 runs for the second wicket. Finch brought up his fifty in just 26 balls. Spinner Pravin Tambe broke the partnership by dismissing Finch. Finch scored 53 runs off 51 balls with the help of seven boundaries and three sixes.
Harbhajan Singh Picked A Four-Wicket Haul
Watson brought up his half-century in just 30 deliveries with a gigantic six over the deep mid-wicket boundary. Tambe also dismissed Watson when the batter was on 55 off 32 balls. Maharajas restricted World Giants to 166 in 20 overs as Harbhajan dismissed Ross Taylor, Kevin O Brien, and Morne Van Wyk in one over. Harbhajan picked up four wickets in two overs.
Gautam Gambhir Smacked A Half-Century
While chasing 167, India Maharajas openers Robin Uthappa and Gambhir gave a solid start to their team. Both openers added 65 runs off six overs of the power play. Immediately after the power play, Kevin O’Brien sent Uthappa back into the hut. Uthappa made 29 runs off 21 balls.
Wickets continued to tumble at one end, but still, Maharajas skipper Gambhir continued to bat sensibly. Gautam completed his half-century in just 28 balls. Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina couldn’t make any significant scores. Ricardo Powell dismissed Gambhir when the latter was on 68 off 42 balls. His spectacular knock was studded with nine fours and one six.
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Mohammad Kaif and Irfan Pathan took their team closer to the target. However, India Maharajas fell short of just three runs from the target in the last over. World Giants recorded the victory in their first game in the LLC Masters 2023 by two runs.
Brief Scorecard: World Giants 166/8 (20 overs) (Watson 55, Finch, Singh 4/13, Tambe 2/17) beat India Maharajas 164/5 (20 overs) (Gambhir 68, Powell 2/16) by two runs.
Playing XIs of World Giants and India Maharajas
World Giants Playing XI: Aaron Finch(c), Morne van Wyk(w), Tino Best, Brett Lee, Monty Panesar, Chris Mpofu, Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, Jacques Kallis, Ross Taylor, Kevin O Brien
India Maharajas Playing XI: Robin Uthappa(w), Gautam Gambhir(c), Stuart Binny, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Ashok Dinda, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, Mohammad Kaif, Yusuf Pathan,
