It was an emotional scene at the Grace Road cricket ground in Leicester, England, as the India champions beat the West Indies champions in a nail-biting match to punch their ticket to the semifinal of the World Championship of Legends.
While Stuart Binny smashed an unbeaten 50 runs, it was Yusuf Pathan who finished the match with a six. However, it was the moment right after the winning shot which captured the attention of the fans. Yusuf Pathan ran towards the boundary ropes and hugged his kids while celebrating India's victory.
For the defending champions, the match against the West Indies champions became a matter of prestige. The Men in Blue were on the verge of being eliminated from the current season but heroics from Yusuf Pathan not only propelled them to victory but also got a ticket to the semi-finals
Binny Binny's all round show & Patham heorics help India qualify for semis
India Champions, led by Yuvraj Singh, won the toss and elected to bowl first a decision that paid off immediately. The Indian bowlers made early inroads into the West Indies Champions' batting lineup, reducing them to a precarious 43 for 5.
However, Kieron Pollard launched a blistering counterattack, standing tall amidst the collapse. The power-hitter smashed an unbeaten 74 off just 43 balls, including 8 towering sixes and 3 fours, single-handedly lifting West Indies to a fighting total of 144 for 9 in 20 overs.
Dwayne Smith contributed 20 runs, but no other West Indies batter could reach double digits. On the bowling front, India Champions were clinical Piyush Chawla was the standout performer, grabbing 3 wickets for just 18 runs in his 4 overs. Varun Aaron and Stuart Binny claimed two wickets apiece, while Pawan Negi chipped in with one.
India Champions faced a stiff challenge chasing 145 in only 14.1 overs to book a spot in the semi-finals. The reply began shakily, with India losing four wickets for just 52 runs. But then came a partnership between Stuart Binny and skipper Yuvraj Singh, who added 66 runs off just 27 balls for the fifth wicket. Yuvraj smashed 21 runs in just 11 deliveries, featuring 2 fours and a six.
After Yuvraj’s departure, Yusuf Pathan joined Binny and the duo finished the game in style. They racked up 30 runs in only 8 balls to complete the chase emphatically. Binny remained unbeaten on 50 off 21 balls, while Yusuf Pathan blasted 21 not out in just 7 balls, It was Yusuf who sealed the victory with a towering six, propelling India Champions into the semi-finals.
Shikhar Dhawan had chipped in with a handy 25 off 18 balls. For West Indies, Dwayne Smith and Dwayne Bravo picked up two wickets each, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Indian onslaught in the end.
