ournament: World Championship of Legends (WCL)
Match: #15 β Group Stage
Venue: Grace Road, Leicester
Date: 29 July 2025π Match Summary: India Champions vs West Indies Champions
π₯ First Innings: West Indies Champions β 144/9 in 20 overs
- West Indies got off to a shaky start with Chris Gayle dismissed early for just 9 runs.
- The innings was rescued by Kieron Pollard, who remained unbeaten on 74 off 74 balls, smashing 8 sixes to lift his side from 43/5 to 144/9.
- Indiaβs bowling attack was dominant:
- Piyush Chawla: 3 wickets for 18 runs
- Stuart Binny: 2 wickets for 17 runs
- Excellent control in the powerplay, choking West Indiesβ top order.
πββοΈ Run Chase: India Champions β 148/5 in 13.2 overs
- India needed to chase the target in 14.1 overs to qualify for the semi-finals based on Net Run Rate (NRR).
- They did it in styleβreaching the target in just 13.2 overs, with 40 balls to spare.
- Key performances:
- Stuart Binny played a match-winning knock of 50 off 21 balls*, including big hits all around the park.
- Yuvraj Singh contributed 25 off 18, though he fell LBW in the 8th over.
- Yusuf Pathan finished the match in style with a huge six, then celebrated emotionally with his children.
π Result:
- India won by 5 wickets and successfully qualified for the semi-finals of the WCL 2025.
- They will face Pakistan Champions in the semi-final on 31 July 2025.
π Key Takeaways:
- India needed not just a win, but a fast win to improve their Net Run Rateβand they delivered under pressure.
- Stuart Binny was the star with both bat and ball, earning the Player of the Match award.
- Indiaβs bowlers set the tone, and their power hitters sealed the chase confidently.
πΊ Highlight Moment:
Yusuf Pathanβs match-winning six and emotional celebration hugging his kids went viral and became a fan-favorite moment.