Match Center

Right then, Legends League Cricket, 2024 is moving along at a brisk pace and another game has flown by. Next up, it is a double-header day on Saturday, 5th October. First up, it will be Manipal Tigers vs Gujarat Greats beginning at 3 pm IST (9.30 am GMT) followed by a clash between Toyam Hyderabad and Southern Super Stars at 7 pm IST (1.30 pm GMT) with both games to be played in Jammu. You can also join us an hour in advance for the build-up of both games. Till then, cheers and goodbye!

Irfan Pathan, the captain of Konark Suryas Odisha says he is happy with the win and jokes that high-scoring games don't suit them. Mentions they could have batted better on this track. Also adds they have got a good bowling lineup. Appreciates Diwesh Pathania and says they if not for him, they would have lost this game. Adds that he is hitting the gym and is bowling his heart out and they want to give opportunities to youngsters like him.

Kevin O'Brien is the Player of the Match for his fine batting performance. He starts by saying that he watched the last game and knew it wasn't a free-scoring wicket and changed tactics. Adds that the skipper told him that if he gets in, take responsibility. Mentions that it is about adapting on the fly and getting two important points for the team. Adds that the bowlers finished things off well and did well not to go chasing for the yorker.

Ian Bell, the captain of India Capitals says it was a tight game, and thinks they conceded too many extras which proved to be the difference. Says the surface was not too good to bat on and they kept on losing wickets regularly. Mentions that they need to adapt to these conditions and win the remaining games.

The Presentation ceremony...

On the flip side, India Capitals answered the captain's call to bowl first pretty well and did more than a decent job of keeping the opposition to a low total. However, they lost their Impact Player Dwayne Smith in the very first over and this set them on the back foot. They tried to build partnerships right throughout but it was just Bharat Chipli who held one end really well and then at the other end, wickets kept falling. Ian Bell was the only other batter who even managed to get into double-figures as Chipli ended on an unbeaten 61 off 48 balls as the Capitals fell short by 5 runs.

After being put into bat and huffing and puffing their way to 127 runs, Konark Suryas Odisha had a good reading of the pitch and knew it was going to a difficult one to bat on. Diwesh Pathania bowled a stellar wicket-maiden first up to set things up and then the spinners put on the squeeze in the middle overs. Yusuf Pathan was in the thick of things with the crucial wicket of Ben Dunk and then a run out as well. Things got a bit tight towards the death overs but they had taken enough wickets by then to be able to bowl mostly at the tail-enders and Pathania closed out the game well.

Two teams who came into this contest only separated by net run rate but it is Konark Suryas Odisha who have managed to get a crucial win and have pulled ahead in the race for the number 2 spot on the points table. As for India Capitals, it is their second loss of the campaign and a tough one to swallow as well.

FOUR, BUT IT IS THE KONARK SURYAS ODISHA THAT WIN THE GAME! Not too full and not too short from Diwesh Pathania, on the stumps, Dhruv Raval pats his front foot ahead and swipes it across and over square leg for a boundary. Konark Suryas Odisha win by 5 runs and register their second win of the season.

Excellent bowling this from Diwesh Pathania! Pitched up, full and outside off, just dying on the bounce and staying too low, Dhruv Raval swings wildly across but fails to get any bat on it. Misses and Richard Levi collects it well behind the pegs on a couple of bounces.

Length ball around off, Chipli goes to slog it in the off side but hits off the edge to covers for a run. Chipli is off strike now as India Capitals need 10 off the last 2 balls.

SIX! BOOM! Half-volley on the stumps, Bharat Chipli connects, and connects well off the middle of the bat. He lifts it over long on for a big six. 11 needed off the last 3 now.

MISSED THE STUMPS BY A WHISKER! Diwesh Pathania hits the back of a length and slows the pace, on middle, Bharat Chipli swings to go over long on but misses and the ball goes just over the middle stump.

Just a single to start with! Full and closer to off, Dhruv Raval moves to the off side and drags the pull shot along the carpet and off the inner half of the bat. Gets a single at deep square leg as Ross Taylor does well to prevent any other run.

WILD SWING AND A MISS! Kevon Cooper varies the pace and rolls the finger on the leather, lands it on a good length, around off and nips in. Bharat Chipli covers the stumps and goes for a big heave across but misses to connect. The ball just goes past over the off stump and the keeper collects it on a couple of bounces. 18 needed off the last over then.

A little shuffle across by Dhruv as he pulls this length-delivery from around off, and gets a single at deep backward square leg.

Swing but no timing at all. Full and on middle and leg, Bharat Chipli hits it hard off the toe end to long on for just a single.