Legends Cricket League in Jammu; Defending champion Manipal Tigers register their first win
Srinagar 4 Oct (KB): A close encounter between Manipal Tigers and Toyam Hyderabad ended with Manipal Tigers winning the match in the super over to register their first win in the Legends League Cricket 2024. The match which was being played at the Molana Azad Stadium in Jammu witnessed some brilliant batting and bowling performances by both the teams.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Phil Mustard and Manoj Tiwary opened the innings for Manipal Tigers. The duo could only add 20 for the first wicket before Manoj Tiwary was dismissed for 9 from 8 balls by Isuru Udana. They were then down to 38/3 in 6 overs. Obus Pienaar could manage to score 11 from 10 balls. Angelo Perera (18) showed some intent in the middle but was clean bowled by Nuwan Pradeep. Thisara Perera played a valiant innings in the middle and remained unbeaten on 48* from 27 balls which helped his team to post a total of 144/7 in 20 overs. No other batter could manage to reach a double digit score in the innings.
For Toyam Hyderabad, Bipul Sharma (2/20) and Gurkeerat Singh (2/24) were the pick of the bowlers. Nuwan Pradeep and Isuru Udana managed to take one wicket each in the innings.
Chasing a target of 145 on the board, Chadwick Walton and George Worker opened the innings for Toyam Hyderabad. At the score of 19, Walton (15) was dismissed by Rahul Shukla. George Worker made 15 from 15 balls. Shaun Marsh played a classic knock of 38 from 35 balls. Skipper Gurkeerat Singh Mann managed to add 37 from 35 balls. Stuart Binny played a quick fire knock and remained unbeaten on 20* from 10 balls. While 2 runs were needed to win in the last ball of the match, Gurkeerat could only manage to score one run and got run out while looking for the second run. At the end of the 20th over, Toyam Hyderabad posted a total of 144/7.
For Manipal Tigers, Rahul Shukla (2/48) managed to take two wickets in the innings. Praveen Gupta (1/21), Asela Gunaratne (1/16) and Obus Pienaar (1/12) picked one wicket each in the innings.
With the score tied, the match went into the super over. Toyam Hyderabad who came to bat first in the super over, could only manage to score 4/2 in 6 balls. Asela Gunaratne bowled brilliantly and took the wicket of Stuart Binny (0), while Shaun Marsh (1) was dismissed by a run out in the last ball of the super over. Chadwick Walton managed to add 3* from 2 balls.
Chasing just 5 runs in the super over, Thisara Perera and Daniel Christian came to bat for Manipal Tigers. The duo chased down the target in just three balls. Perera scored 3 from 2 balls and Christian smashed a six of the first ball he faced to help his team win the match. (KB)