In an exhilarating finale at Edgbaston, Birmingham, the India Champions triumphed over the Pakistan Champions in a one-sided affair during the World Championship of Legends (WCL) final. This much-anticipated clash brought together cricket legends from both sides, culminating in a victory for the Indian team led by the dynamic Yuvraj Singh.

WCL 2024 winning moments

In a heartfelt video, Irfan Pathan credited Yuvraj Singh for his leadership. Pathan highlighted how Yuvraj’s strategic decisions and team management led them to victory. The comments from other players and cricketing experts echoed similar sentiments, praising Yuvraj’s captaincy and the team’s overall performance.

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In a video uploaded by Irfan Pathan on social media handles, he said, “Yuvraj Singh brought this team together. He clearly told me that he did not want me to bowl in the tournament. In fact, he wanted to see sixes with my bat. However, today they bowled me 3 overs.”

Match overview

Pakistan Champions’ captain Younis Khan won the toss and chose to bat first, hoping to set a challenging target for the Indian team. On the other hand, India’s strategy revolved around a disciplined bowling attack, aiming to restrict Pakistan to a manageable score.

First Innings: Pakistan champions batting

The innings started with a setback for Pakistan as opener Sharjeel Khan was dismissed for 12 runs off 10 balls by Anureet Singh at the end of the second over. This early wicket put pressure on the Pakistani side, which was somewhat alleviated by a promising partnership between Kamran Akmal and Sohaib Maqsood.

Despite the promising start, Pakistan’s innings faced hurdles as Vinay Kumar dismissed Sohaib Maqsood on the last ball of the fifth over. This wicket marked the beginning of a series of consistent losses for Pakistan, preventing them from gaining significant momentum.

Sohail Tanvir’s late efforts provided some respite for the Pakistan Champions. His aggressive batting helped push the total to a respectable 156 for 6. Tanvir’s contribution was crucial in ensuring Pakistan had a fighting chance.

Anureet Singh was the standout bowler for India, taking 3 wickets for 43 runs in his 4 overs. His performance was instrumental in disrupting Pakistan’s batting lineup.

Second Innings: India champions chase

Chasing 157, the India Champions got off to a steady start. The openers laid a solid foundation, which was built upon by Ambati Rayudu and Yusuf Pathan. Their contributions ensured that India remained on track during the chase.

Yuvraj Singh’s leadership was pivotal. His batting was a blend of caution and aggression, guiding the team through crucial phases of the match. Yuvraj’s strategic approach and timely boundaries kept the required run rate within reach.

Irfan Pathan, known for his all-round abilities, played an unexpected role by bowling three overs despite being primarily included for his batting prowess. His contribution with the ball added an extra edge to India’s performance.

The match concluded with India Champions comfortably reaching the target, lifting the prized WCL trophy. The final moments saw the team celebrating their hard-fought victory, with fans and players rejoicing in unison.

Cricket has always been a sport full of intense moments, but the recent World Championship of Legends (WCL) match between India and the South Africa Champions added an extra layer of drama. Brothers Irfan and Yusuf Pathan found themselves in a heated exchange over a miscommunication that led to Irfan’s run-out. This incident occurred on the first ball of the 19th over when Irfan played a lofted shot off Dale Steyn’s delivery.

The Incident: Irfan Pathan’s run out

It all began with Irfan Pathan facing Dale Steyn. Irfan played a lofted shot that landed safely between two fielders. The shot seemed to promise a chance for a second run. Seeing the opportunity, both Irfan and Yusuf decided to attempt a risky second run. However, a moment of hesitation from Yusuf led to a miscommunication.

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Yusuf initially agreed to the second run but then hesitated, causing Irfan to be caught in no man’s land. Steyn, ever the sharp fielder, quickly collected the ball and dislodged the bails, resulting in Irfan’s dismissal.

Irfan was visibly frustrated by the run-out and did not hide his displeasure towards Yusuf. This mix-up added pressure on India, which was already struggling in its chase.

Impact on the match

India were chasing a formidable total of 210/8 set by South Africa. The run-out of Irfan Pathan was a significant setback. Despite this, India put up a fight, needing 153 runs to qualify for the semi-finals.

India managed to reach 156/6 in 20 overs, losing the match by 54 runs but securing enough runs to advance to the next stage. This result simultaneously dashed South Africa’s hopes of progressing further in the tournament.

South Africa’s dominant batting performance

Jacques Synman, who had been in fine form, scored a blistering 73 off 43 balls, including 10 fours and 3 sixes. His aggressive batting laid a solid foundation for South Africa.Wicket-keeper Richard Levi complemented Synman with a quickfire 60 off 25 balls, featuring 5 sixes and as many boundaries. Their partnership ensured South Africa posted a challenging total.

India’s bowling comeback

India’s bowlers staged a late comeback during the death overs, managing to restrict the flow of runs. However, the damage had been done earlier, and South Africa’s dominant batting display set a target too steep for India to chase.

Despite the loss, India’s performance were enough to secure a spot in the semi-finals. The team will need to address communication issues and build on their strengths to succeed in the upcoming matches.

The Afro Zimbabwe T10 is going strong and Yusuf Pathan has lit it up well. Facing Mohammad Amir, the Indian batter took a liking to his pace and showed that he can still play in his vintage manner as he launched Amir to the boundary hitting him for 25 runs in the over when his team needed 67 in three overs. Yusuf Pathan’s blitz came a touch late but still provided a lot of entertainment with the Pakistani bowler being given a nice hiding in the death of a T10 encounter.

His aggressive stroke play paid off in the end with his team qualifying for the Finals after successfully chasing 140. Yusuf Pathan alone hit 80 off just 26 balls in what was a marvelous display of unreal and clean ball striking.