Shahid Afridi-led Asia Lions outclassed World Giants in the final of Legends League Cricket (LLC) 2023. Jacques Kallis' unbeaten 78 went in vain as Lions made short work of the 148-run target and won the final by nine wickets with 23 balls to spare.
The run chase got off to a brilliant start. Both Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga hit boundaries. At the end of powerplay overs, Lions had already scored 72 runs. Tharanga got to his half-century in the ninth over with a boundary. He took just 24 deliveries to reach the fifty-run mark. In the 10th over, Dilshan got to his half-century from 32 deliveries. Lee broke the partnership in the same over with the wicket of Tharanga. The Sri Lankan batter scored 57 runs off 28 deliveries including five fours and three sixes.
Giants tried to make a comeback after Tharanga's wicket. Not a single boundary was scored in the next two overs. In the 14th over, Samil Patel got rid of Dilshan who scored 58 runs from 42 deliveries including eight fours. In the next over, Abdul Razzaq got dismissed by Monty Panesar. But there were not enough runs on the board to take it till the end. Misbah-ul-Haq hit a boundary off Panesar. In the 17th over, Hafeez finished off the run chase with a boundary.
Earlier, Giants got off to a poor start. Abdur Razzak dismissed Morne van Wyk for a seven-ball duck. In the same over he dismissed Shane Watson for a two-ball duck. Lendl Simmons hit the first six of the innings from the fifth over. In the next over, Simmons got run out for a 16-ball 17. After powerplay overs, Giants had 31/3 on the board.
From seventh to 11th over, not a single boundary came off Jacques Kallis and Ross Taylor's bat. Kallis broke the shackles with a six off Afridi in the 12th over. Taylor accelerated as well. In the 16th over, Giants crossed the 100-run mark. In the 17th over, Kallis reached his half-century with a six off Thisara Perera. The Sri Lankan pacer made a good comeback with the wicket of Taylor who scored 32 off 33 deliveries including three fours.
Paul Collingwood rotated the strike but got retired hurt in the penultimate over. Kallis hit a six in the penultimate over and then two boundaries in the final over. He remained unbeaten for 78 off 54 deliveries including five fours and three sixes. Kallis' lone effort helped Giants post a respectable total of 147/4 on the board.
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