In a high-scoring affair at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, it was Brett Lee who made the difference with a superb last over as India Maharajas lose by five runs. With eight runs to defend and a rampant Irfan Pathan on strike, Lee conceded just two runs, got two wickets and helped Giants pull off their third win of the tournament. After a close defeat Maharajas crashed out of inaugural Howzat Legends League Cricket tournament.
Faulty start
The run chase did not get off to as Wasim Jaffer and Subramaniam Badrinath got out within four overs without making an impact. Maharajas were struggling to keep up with the required run rate. India were 31/2 in five overs but Yusuf and Ojha started accelerating from the final over of powerplay overs.
Ojha-Yusuf change the game
Ojha switched gears and got to his half-century off 29 deliveries. Yusuf got going with a 25-run 10th over where he hammered Kevin O Brien. Just when Maharajas looked in control, Albie Morkel got the breakthrough to remove Yusuf. The right-handed batter scored 45 runs off 22 deliveries including two fours and five sixes. Stuart Binny disappointed and got out cheaply, bringing Irfan to the crease in 14th over. In the next over, Ojha hit a few boundaries but got out off the last ball to Ryan Sidebottom. The wicketkeeper-batter missed his century. He scored 95 runs off 51 deliveries laced with eight fours and seven sixes.
Lee stops rampant Irfan
Irfan kept the run chase alive with sensational hitting and a stroke of lunch. The left-handed batter was dropped a few times in the field but continued to hit big. In the 17th over, he hit Sidebottom for three sixes in a row. In the next two overs he took on Morkel brothers to get the equation to eight runs off six deliveries. He also scored the fastest half-century of the tournament off just 18 deliveries. But former Australian speedster used his slog overs experience and, bowled full and wide to get the wickets of Irfan, Rajat Bhatia (via run out) and then beat Aavishkar Salvi outside off stump to win it for his team.
Fiery start
After being put to bat first by stand-in skipper Yusuf, World Giants got off to a fiery start despite losing hero of last match, Kevin Pietersen for a score of 11. Opener Phil Mustard and Herschelle Gibbs took Mahrajas’ bowlers to the cleaners. The two shared a 98-run partnership for the second wicket before Mustard got out for a 33-ball 57 including five fours and four sixes.
Nearly unstoppable Gibbs
Gibbs continued his brutal knock with a huge boost from the other end in form of O Brien. The Ireland batter hit five sixes in his 14-ball 34. Gibbs and O Brien shared a destructive 71-run partnership off just 32 balls. Gibbs seemed unstoppable and on his way to century, but Rajat Bhatia got the crucial wicket. Initially, the umpire did not give him out, but the former Proteas batter walked off as he knew he had edged it to the wicketkeeper. He scored 89 runs from 46 deliveries including seven fours and as many sixes.
Towards the end, cameos from Albie Morkel (16) and Jonty Rhodes (20) helped Giants post 228/5 in first innings. For Maharajas, Binny was the most expensive ones as he conceded 50 runs from four overs along with the wicket of O Brien.
In the final, on January 29, World Giants will take on Misbah-ul-Haq’s Asia Lions in the final.
