Ranchi, Nov 20
Bhilwara Kings defeated defending champions India Capitals narrowly in the opening match of the second season of the Legends League Cricket T20 here on Saturday. India Capitals, the GMR group-owned franchisee, scored 228 for the loss of eight wickets batting first. Captain Gautam Gambhir was the highest scorer for the team blasting a blistering 63 runs from 35 balls. However, Bhilwara Kings came back strong with the help of a swashbuckling knock of 65 runs from 19 balls from Irfan Pathan. The opening clash of the Legends League Cricket Season 2 was played at the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi.
India Capitals will now meet Urbanrisers Hyderabad in their next clash on November 23.
After winning the toss, Bhilwara Kings chose to ball first and invited the Defending Champions India Capitals, to bat. Captain Gautam Gambhir and former South African opening batsman Hashim Amla opened the innings for India Capitals. After losing Amla earlier in the third over, Kirk Edwards’s partnership with Gautam Gambhir helped India Capitals sail through using the powerplay to their complete advantage.
A 107-run partnership in just 53 balls for the second wicket between Gambhir and Kirk Edward ensured that the defending champions were in the driving seat. After losing Gambhir in the 11th over, Kirk Edwards kept the scoreboard running through some hard-hitting outside the park along with Ben Dunk for the third wicket. While India Capitals kept the sixes going from both ends, Kirk Edwards hit his half-century to finally go down with a score of 59 runs from 31 balls in the 13th over. With the help of some big shots from Ben Dunk and Ashley Nurse, India Capitals finished their innings with a total of 228 with the loss of eight wickets. Kings started their mammoth chase with the pair of Lendl Simmons and Solomon Mire. An attacking display in the bowling of India Capitals ensured that the Bhilwara Kings openers could not really explode from the beginning.
Fidel Edwards and Rusty Theron ensured that Bhilwara Kings could only manage 27 runs for the loss of one wicket at the end of the fourth over.
However, Mire’s blistering70 runs from 40 balls along with Irfan Pathan’s stunning 65 runs from 19 balls, which also includes nine sixes, ensured that Bhilwara Kings make history chasing the highest-ever total in the Legends League Cricket to walk away with a thrilling victory in the final over of the game.
Brief scores:
India Capitals 228-8 in 20 overs (Gautam Gambhir 63, Kirk Edwards 59, Ben Dunk 37; Anureet Singh 4-29) lost to Bhilwara Kings 229-7 in 19.2 overs (Solomon Mire 70, Irfan Pathan 65*; Isuru Udana 3-51, Rusty Theron 2-33) by three wickets.
