Shahid Afridi-led Asia Lions defeated in-form World Giants aspect to change into the Legends League Cricket (LLC) 2023 champions on Monday (March 20) night time. The Lions thrashed the Giants by seven wickets and 23 balls to spare due to blazing half-centuries by former Sri Lankan batters Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Tharanga and Dilshan whipped the World Giants assault to placed on 115 runs-opening partnership in 9.6 overs. Dilshan cracked 58 off 42 balls with eight boundaries whereas Tharanga scored 57 off 28 balls with 5 boundaries and three sixes. Tharanga, who had additionally scored a 50 in opposition to India Maharajas to take Asia Lions into the ultimate, was adjudged the Player of the Series.
Earlier, Asia Lions restricted World Giants to 147 for 4 regardless of Jacques Kallis’ unbeaten 78 runs off 54 balls with 5 boundaries and three sixes. Kallis additionally had a 92 runs partnership in 11.1 overs for the fourth wicket with Ross Taylor, who hit 32 off 33 balls with three boundaries.
WATCH Asia Lions skipper Shahid Afridi with the LLC 2023 trophy right here…
The Legendary Champions! __
They are the rightful house owners of the coveted trophy and the winners of LLCMasters Season 2! @AsiaLionsLLC#LegendsLeagueCricket #LLCT20 #SkyexchnetLLCMaster #YahanSabBossHain pic.twitter.com/0Jx9RYvte1
— Legends League Cricket (@llct20) March 20, 2023
World Giants had gained the toss and elected to bat with Lendl Simmons and Morne van Wyk opening the innings. Asia Lions’ left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak opened the bowling gifting away simply three runs. Left-arm pacer Sohail Tanvir, as traditional, generated good tempo off the wicket and the primary boundary of the ultimate got here from Simmons, who edged via the hole within the slip area. Razzak struck with the third ball of the third over to dismiss van Wyk, who, whereas going for a lower, inside-edged it onto his wicket for a duck. Razzak additionally took the dear wicket of skipper Shane Watson with the fifth supply trapping him leg-before via an arm ball for a duck.
Kallis and Ross Taylor scored singles off Mohammad Hafeez’s seventh over. Afridi, who launched himself for the eighth over, gave away solely 5 runs. Razzak bowled his ultimate over brilliantly beating Kallis repeatedly, and gifting away simply two runs. When Afridi too bowled a decent tenth over for 5 runs, World Giants may muster solely 49 for 3 on the midway mark.
Although Kallis slog-swept Afridi for a six within the twelfth over, runs have been nonetheless onerous to come back. Taylor and Kallis recorded their 50-run partnership in 7.3 overs when Kallis hit Thisara Perera for a boundary to high-quality leg.
In the fifteenth over, Kallis and Taylor took one boundary every off Afridi. World Giants have been nonetheless ten runs in need of the 100-run mark. Kallis reached his half-century in 41 balls lifting Perera for a six to mid-wicket. Perera struck with the third ball of the seventeenth over to wash bowl Taylor for 32. The pair’s 92 runs in 11.1 overs actually lifted World Giants to a difficult complete.
Chasing the goal, Asia Lions’ constant openers Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan started to stroke easily. Dilshan hit Samit Patel’s second and third deliveries for boundaries whereas Tharanga hit the fifth ball for a six over long-on. They took 16 runs off the primary over. In the second over, Tharanga pulled Brett Lee for a boundary. World Giants then changed the expensive Patel with Ricardo Powell. Tharanga chopped Powell to the third man for a boundary. Tino Best, who was launched for the fourth over, was additionally hit by Dilshan via the covers for a boundary. The pair recorded their 50 runs partnership in 4.5 overs with Tharanga hitting Powell for a six.
Tharanga smashed Powell’s final ball of the fifth over too for a six to long-on. Dilshan greeted Chris Mpofu with two consecutive boundaries within the sixth over and in addition scored one other off the fourth ball to pile up 72 runs from the powerplay.
Asia Lions took the sport completely away from World Giants with Dilshan too smashing Best for a boundary to mid-wicket and reaching his half-century in 32 balls with eight boundaries. The 115 runs partnership ended when Lee had Tharanga clear bowled for 57.
Asia Lions wanted solely 33 runs within the final ten overs. Dilshan was bowled out by Samit Patel for 58 when solely 16 runs have been wanted for the victory in 41 balls. Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah Ul Haq steered their group to victory remaining unbeaten with 9 runs every.
Brief scores: World Giants 147 for 4 in 20 overs (Jacques Kallis 78 n.o., Ross Taylor 32, Abdur Razzak 2/14) misplaced to Asia Lions 148 for 3 in 16.1 overs (Upul Tharanga 57, Tillakaratne Dilshan 58)
