Virat Kohli(Captain) of India plays a shot during the 2nd T20 International between India and England held at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India on the 14th March 2021 Photo by Pankaj Nangia / Sportzpics for BCCI
England delivered a dominant performance to knock India out of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), securing a thrilling 23-run victory at Headingley, Leeds, on Sunday.
Ravi Boparas explosive unbeaten century and Ajmal Shahzads sharp bowling were key to Englands triumph. After winning the toss, Indias captain Yuvraj Singh chose to bowl first, a decision that backfired as England posted a massive total of 223/3 in 20 overs, setting India a challenging target.
Bopara was the star of the innings, finishing with an unbeaten 110 from just 55 balls, including eight sixes and eight boundaries. His knock was a masterclass in controlled aggression, constantly keeping the scoreboard ticking. Ian Bell contributed with 54 off 36 balls, while Moeen Ali added a quickfire 33 from 13 balls, and Samit Patel scored 20 runs from nine balls.
Among Indias bowlers, Harbhajan Singh stood out, claiming 3/18 in three overs. Varun Aaron picked up 1/34 from his four overs.
Chasing a daunting target of 224, India fought hard but ultimately fell short, finishing at 200/8 in 20 overs. Yusuf Pathan was the top scorer with 52 off 29 balls, while Yuvraj Singh contributed 38 runs from 27 balls. Stuart Binny and Ambati Rayudu also made useful contributions, but regular wickets kept India from closing the gap.
Ajmal Shahzads exceptional bowling spell turned the match in Englands favor as he claimed 4/31 in his four overs. Stuart Meaker took two wickets, while Ravi Bopara and Ryan Sidebottom each picked up one.
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