Srinagar
In a final at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium, the Southern Superstars clinched the Legends League Cricket 2024 title, defeating Konark Suryas Odisha in a thrilling super over on Wednesday night.
After opting to bowl first, Konark Suryas Odisha made an early breakthrough as Diwesh Pathania dismissed Shreevats Goswami for a duck. Martin Guptill (27 off 25) and Hamilton Masakadza (83 off 58) stabilized the innings with a 76-run partnership. Masakadza and Pawan Negi (33 off 24) then added 68 runs for the third wicket, helping the Southern Superstars reach 164/6 in 20 overs. Dilshan Munaweera starred with the ball for Odisha, taking 4 wickets for 9 runs.
In response, Konark Suryas Odisha had a shaky start, with Richard Levi (16 off 11) and Munaweera (11 off 9) falling early. Kevin O’Brien added 17 off 24 balls, but it was Yusuf Pathan’s explosive 85 off 38 balls that kept Odisha in contention. With 2 runs needed off the last ball, Pathan managed only a single before being run out, tying the match at 164/9.
In the super over, Konark Suryas Odisha, led by Yusuf and Irfan Pathan, set a target of 14 runs. Southern Superstars’ Guptill turned the tide with two consecutive sixes, and despite losing his wicket, they chased down the target in just 5 balls, securing the championship.
Hamid Hassan, Abdur Razzak, Chaturanga de Silva, and Pawan Negi each took two wickets for the Southern Superstars, contributing to their victory in this nail-biting finale.
