India and Pakistan kicked off their World Championship of Legends campaign by defeating England and Australia respectively in Birmingham, England on Wednesday, July 3. India and Pakistan were in jubilation on the opening day of the T20 league for veteran cricketers in England.
Yuvraj Singh’s Indian Champions defeated England Champions by three wickets. Robin Uthappa was the star of the show with his batting 32 for 50 as India chased down 166 runs in 20 overs. Harbhajan Singh shone with the ball, taking two wickets and conceding just 16 runs. Harbhajan ended India’s chase with a six at the end.
Yuvraj Singh won the toss and the Indian Champions chose to bowl after which Dhawal Kulkarni took the big wicket of England Champions captain Kevin Pietersen early for four.
Ian Bell top-scored for the English champions with 59 runs off 44 balls, followed by Samit Patel’s 51 runs off just 25 balls to give his team a much-needed boost.
Owais Shah smashed 23 off just nine balls as England posted 165 for four in the 20 overs.
Robin Uthappa and Naman Ojha started India’s chase on a high, scoring 62 off just 40 balls, while Suresh Raina scored 16 off 17 balls.
However, thanks to Gurkeerat Singh Mann (33 off 17) and Irfan Pathan (22 off 15), India accelerated towards the end and achieved the target.
Brief scores: Indian champions (166 for 7 in 19 overs) beat English champions (165 for 4 in 20 overs). Uthappa (50), Gurkeerat (33), Harbhajan (2/16).
Meanwhile, Pakistan chased down 190 in a tight final over in their league opener against the Australian champions.
Aaron Finch smashed 68 off just 40 balls to lead the Australian champions to 189. Ben Dunk and Callum Ferguson hit 27 and 26 respectively, while Nathan Kuctor-Nile smashed 25 off 10 balls.
Pakistan champions Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi took 22 wickets each.
Pakistan lost openers Kamran Akmal and Sharjeel Khan early on, but Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq flourished before Afridi played a cameo.
Younis scored 63 off 41 balls and Misbah made 46 off 30. Afridi hit two boundaries in his five balls and scored 11 as Pakistan reached 190 in 19.4 overs.
Brief scores: Pakistan champions (191 for 5 in 19.4 ov) beat Australian champions (189 for 7 in 20 ov). Younis Khan (63), Misbah-ul-Haq (46), Shoaib Malik (2/24), Shahid Afridi (2/34)
What is the World Championship of Legends?
The World Championship of Legends (WCL) is an exciting new global T20 cricket tournament that brings together some of the greatest cricket legends from around the world. Endorsed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the tournament will feature legendary players such as Aaron Finch, Darren Sammy, Yuvraj Singh, Ian Bell, Misbah-ul-Haq and Dale Steyn, ensuring thrilling matches and unforgettable moments. The prestigious event will showcase the talents of cricketing powerhouses such as England, India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies and South Africa.
