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India Champions delivered the knockout punch to Australia Champions as they won by a comfortable margin of 86 runs to reach World Championship of Legends 2024 final. As many as four Indian batters -- Robin Uthappa, captain Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan -- scored half-centuries to post a daunting total of 254/6 at County Ground, Bristol on July 13. In the run chase, Australia lost early wickets and failed to keep up with the required run rate. They managed to post 168/7 and bowed out of the tournament. India will now face Pakistan Champions in the final on July 13 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Fifties galore
Earlier, Brett Lee won the toss and opted to bowl first. The overcast conditions did not help them. Uthappa and Ambati Rayudu took the attacking approach. Peter Siddle got the breakthrough in the fourth over by knocking over Rayudu who scored 14 runs from 11 balls. Uthappa continued to attack but Suresh Raina once again fell to Nathan Coulter-Nile. India were 60/2 after powerplay overs. Uthappa reached his fifty from just 21 balls in the eighth over. India crossed the 100-run mark in the 10th over. Xavier Doherty ended Uthappa's stay at the crease as Aaron Finch took a catch at mid-wicket. The opener's 35-ball 65 was laced with six fours and four sixes.
Yuvraj accelerated after Uthappa's wicket. He hit Doherty for two sixes and a four in the 13th over. He gave a similar treatment to Siddle and reached his fifty from 26 balls. But Siddle managed to knock him over. Yuvraj scored 59 runs from 28 balls including four fours and five sixes. Irfan joined his brother in the middle. Lee erred and Yusuf smacked him for a couple of sixes. Coulter-Nile was punished by Irfan who hit him for a hat-trick of sixes in the 31-run over. In the penultimate over, Yusuf took on Lee and hit four fours and a six. Yusuf reached his half-century from 24 balls. In the final over, Irfan hit Siddle for a six to reach his half-century from just 18 balls. Siddle got Irfan and Gurkeerat Singh's wickets and conceded just two more runs in the over. Yusuf remained unbeaten for 23-ball 51 as India posted 254/6.
Dull run chase
Dhawal Kulkarni drew first blood as he knocked over Shaun Marsh in the second over. In his next over, Finch hit three consecutive fours. But Kulkarni managed to dismiss Ben Dunk. Finch struggled to hit big and got bowled by left-arm spinner Pawan Negi in the sixth over. Australia were 48/3 after powerplay overs. Daniel Christian tried to accelerate but in the ninth over he was dismissed by Harbhajan. Australia were 78/4 at the halfway stage. Irfan was introduced into the attack and he delivered with Callum Ferguson's wicket. He scored 23 runs from 19 balls. Ben Cutting became Negi's second victim of the day but not before hitting him for a six. Coulter-Nile contributed with a 13-ball 30 cameo. He lost his wicket to Rahul Shukla in the 16th over. After a very slow start, Tim Paine hit a few sixs in his unbeaten 32-ball 40 as Australia posted 168/7 and lost the match by 86 runs.
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