Dubai
It was a thrilling day of cricket at the Pallekele International Cricket stadium which saw two encounters in the Legends Cricket Trophy 2024. The first match of the day was between the Rajasthan Kings and Kandy Samp Army, and the second of the day between Dubai Giants and Delhi Devils.
In match one of the day, Rajasthan Kings put on a commanding performance to secure a resounding victory over Kandy Samp Army.
Batting first, Rajasthan Kings exhibited an explosive display of power-hitting, amassing a formidable total of 176 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in their allotted 15 overs. Spearheading the Kings’ onslaught was the veteran batsman Robin Uthappa, who dazzled the audience with a scintillating knock of 72 runs off a mere 30 deliveries, embellished with 5 boundaries and 6 towering sixes.
In pursuit of a challenging target, Kandy Samp Army’s batting lineup struggled to gain momentum against a disciplined bowling attack from Rajasthan Kings. Despite commendable efforts from Kevin O’Brien and Irfan Pathan, who fought valiantly with the bat, Samp Army fell short of their target, managing to muster only 132 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their stipulated 15 overs.
In the second game of the day, Dubai Giants bounced back with a win against Delhi Devils after their loss in the first game. The Thisara Perera-led side, in absence of regular skipper Harbhajan Singh, chased down their target of 148, thanks to a solid show from their batters.
Batting first, Callum Ferguson fired all cylinders to score an unbeaten 57 off 36, that saw 4 fours and as many sixes, that saw Delhi Giants posting a respectable total of 147/5 from their stipulated 15 overs.
Coming to bat, Dubai Giants lost Solomon Mire for a golden duck. However, that did not deter them along the way, as both Shaun Marsh (44 of 30) and Gurkeerat Singh Mann (45 off 24) came out all guns blazing. The task was relatively easier for Dubai Giants as Saurabh Tiwary and skipper Thisara Perera combined to help them reach the finish line.
Brief Scores:
Match 2:
Rajasthan Kings – 176/4 (Robin Uthappa – 72 off 30 balls; Parvinder Awana – 4 for 13 runs)
Kandy Samp Army – 132/8 (Kevin O’Brien – 50 off 30 balls)
Match 3:
Delhi Devils – 147/5 (Callum Ferguson – 57 off 36 balls)
Dubai Giants – 148/6 (Gurkeerat Singh Mann – 45 off 24 balls)