Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 17: In an exhilarating finale of the Legends League Cricket 2024, Southern Superstars emerged as champions after defeating Konark Suryas Odisha in a thrilling super over at the Bakshi Stadium, here today.
Konark Suryas Odisha won the toss and opted to bowl first. Southern Superstars faced an early setback when opener Shreevats Goswami was dismissed by Diwesh Pathania for a duck. Martin Guptill and Hamilton Masakadza steadied the innings with a 76-run partnership for the second wicket. Guptill contributed 27 from 25 balls before being dismissed. Masakadza took control, smashing 83 off 58 balls, and along with Pawan Negi, who scored 33 from 24 balls, helped Southern Superstars reach a competitive total of 164/6 in 20 overs.
For Konark Suryas Odisha, Dilshan Munaweera was the standout bowler, claiming 4 wickets for just 9 runs in 3 overs. Diwesh Pathania (1/19) and Irfan Pathan (1/22) also chipped in with wickets.
Chasing 165, Konark Suryas Odisha started cautiously with Dilshan Munaweera (11) and Richard Levi (16) opening the innings. Kevin O’Brien added 17 from 24 balls, but it was Yusuf Pathan’s explosive knock of 85 from 38 balls that kept Odisha in the game. With 2 runs needed off the last ball, Yusuf was run out, and the match ended in a tie at 164/9.
The contest then went into a super over, where Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan batted for Konark Suryas Odisha, scoring 14 runs, including a six from Yusuf and a boundary from Richard Levi. Southern Superstars responded with Martin Guptill and Pawan Negi. Guptill hit back-to-back sixes off the first two balls, and although Diwesh Pathania took his wicket, Southern Superstars chased down the target in just 5 balls to claim the title.
It was a fitting conclusion to an epic match, with Guptill’s heroics in the super over securing Southern Superstars’ place as Legends League Cricket 2024 champions.
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