India Legends clinch the Road Safety World Series title!
India Legends clinched the title in the inaugural edition of Unacademy Road Safety World Series – thanks to the all round show by Pathan Brothers and some inspirational bowling changes by captain Sachin Tendulkar in a high scoring extravaganza of a final!
Earlier Sri lanka Legends captain TM Dilshan won the all important toss and elect to field at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur.
India Legends lost 2 of their top order batsmen in powerplay in the form of Virender Sehwag (10) and S Badrinath (7). Left arm spinners Rangana Herath and Sanath Jayasuriya made the respective break throughs.
India Legends were 46-2 at the end of Powerplay. Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh put on a partnership of 43 runs before Tendulkar was dismissed attempting a scoop shot off Maharoof. Indian captain scored 30 runs in 23 balls with the help of 5 fours.The score read as 78-3 in 10.3 overs at his departure.
Yusuf Pathan joined Yuvraj Singh in the middle as the duo powered India Legends to 100 runs in 13.3 overs. The duo put on a 85 run partnership in just 47 balls to up the ante.
Yuvraj Singh reached his half century in 35 balls while Yusuf Pathan achieved the feat in just 24 balls. This was Yusuf Pathan’s first half century in the tournament.
Yuvraj departed for 60 in 41 balls with the help of 4 fours & 4 sixes while Yusuf remained unbeaten on 62 in 36 balls and top scored for the team. India Legends scored 181-4 in 20 overs – thanks to the last ball six by Irfan Pathan off the bowling of Nuwan Kulasekara.
Chasing 182 runs to win, Sri Lankan openers Captain TM Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya started on a positive note as the team scored 58 runs with out any loss in powerplay.
India Legends took a strategic time out at 7 overs point and it paid off as Dilshan gave away his wicket off the 2nd ball of Yusuf Pathan’s spell. Dilshan scored 21 in 18 balls with the help of 3 fours with the score at 62-1 in 7.2 overs. The very next over Chamara Silva fell first ball of Irfan Pathan’s spell.
Upul Tharanga joined the in form Sanath Jayasuriya in the middle as Sri Lanka Legends powered to 75-2 in 10 overs with the team requiring 107 more runs to win in the last 10 overs.
India Legends struck in the first ball of 12th over as Yusuf Pathan trapped the dangerous Jayasuriya in front for 43 in 35 balls, At the end of 12 overs – Sri Lanka Legends needed 95 more runs to win in 8 overs with Upul Tharanga and Chinthaka Jayasinghe at the crease.
The very next over Upul Tharanga fell to Irfan Pathan leaving the new pair Kaushalya Weeraratne and Chinthaka Jayasinghe to power the run chase. The duo strucks some shots to reduce the equation to 66 runs to win in the last 5 overs.
Pathan brothers picked 2 wickets each to dent the Sri Lankan run chase in the all important final.
Indian bowlers kept it below the required run rate in the 16th and 17th overs but Weeraratne took advantage of Vinay Kumar’s slot deliveries in the 18th over hitting 4, 6 & 6 to get the equation to 30 runs to win in 12 balls. Manpreet Gony kept it real tight in the 19th over conceding just 6 runs and picked the all important wicket of Kaushalya Weeraratne who was going at a strike rate of over 250.
Sri Lanka Legends could only manage 9 runs and lost 2 wickets off the final over by Munaf Patel needing 24 runs to win – as India Legends clinched the final by 14 runs to become the first ever champions of Unacademy Road Safety World Series.
Match Summary
INDIA LEGENDS 181-4 in 20 overs
Sachin Tendulkar 30 (23) – 5 fours
Yuvraj Singh 60 (41) – 4 fours & 4 sixes
Yusuf Pathan 62*(36) – 4 fours & 5 sixes
Irfan Pathan 8*(3) – 1 six
Farveez Maharoof 4-0-16-1
SRI LANKA LEGENDS 167-7 in 20 overs
TM Dilshan 21 (18) – 3 fours
Sanath Jayasuriya 43 (35) – 5 fours & 1 six
Upul Tharanga 13 (16) – 1 four
Chinthaka Jayasinghe 40 (30) – 1 four & 2 sixes
Kaushalya Weeraratne 38 (15) – 3 fours & 3 sixes
Yusuf Pathan 4-0-26-2
Irfan Pathan 4-0-29-2
INDIA LEGENDS WON BY 14 RUNS
Man of the Match: Yusuf Pathan
Man of the Tournament: TM Dilshan
Toss: Sri Lanka won the toss and elect to bowl
My dream team will feature Marcus Trescothick and Anil Kumble
