Tharanga, Dilshan seal Legends League title for Asia Lions

Asia Lions 148 for 3 (Dilshan 58, Tharanga 57) beat World Giants 147 for 4 (Kallis 78*, Razzak 2-14) by seven wickets

Tharanga and Dilshan began their chase of 148 in aggressive style. Dilshan hit two consecutive boundaries within the first over whereas Tharanga quickly joined in by hitting a supply off Samit Patel for a six over long-on.

There was no respite for the World Giants within the powerplay as the previous Sri Lanka duo continued to assault within the chase. Tharanga made good use of his toes to hit Richardo Powell for a six within the fourth supply of the fifth over. He, then, got here down the monitor to hit one over long-on later within the over. His opening companion Dilshan capitalised on the ultimate over of the powerplay as he hit three boundaries off Chris Mpofu.

By the top of the powerplay, Asia Lions had racked up 72, the report for many runs within the powerplay on this event, which all however killed the chase.

The partnership continued to flourish even after the powerplay because the openers discovered boundaries in each over earlier than their 115-run stand was damaged by Brett Lee. Tharanga tried to make room however missed a straight supply from Lee. Tharanga completed the event as the very best run-scorer.

The boundaries dried up following that dismissal however Asia Lions cruised by means of the chase even after Dilshan was dismissed for a 42-ball 58. Mohammad Hafeez and Misbah-ul-Haq took their facet over the road with seven wickets and 23 balls to spare.

Earlier, World Giants made a sluggish begin after opting to bat. Their new opening pair of Lendl Simmons and Morne van Wyk might solely handle 9 runs within the first 15 balls, which set the tone for the remainder of the innings.

Pressure piled up on Van Wyk after he failed to attain off his first seven deliveries. He tried to chop an arm ball from Abdur Razzak within the third over however might solely handle an under-edge onto the stumps. His opening companion Simmons seemed in good contact in his 17-ball innings, which included one 4 and a six, earlier than a beautiful fielding effort from Sohail Tanvir ran him out.

Following that, Kallis and Ross Taylor rebuilt the World Giants innings cautiously. The first boundary after the powerplay got here after 33 balls as Kallis slog-swept Shahid Afridi’s tossed up supply over midwicket.

That modified the momentum of the match as Kallis and Taylor discovered the boundary extra persistently of their 92-run partnership. That stand was damaged within the seventeenth over as Taylor missed a straight supply by Thisara Perera.

Kallis continued his high-quality show of end-overs hitting to assist his facet accumulate 26 runs off the final two overs, together with a boundary and two sixes, to assist World Giants end with 147 for 4.