Rayudu, Yusuf shine in final as India Champions defeat Pakistan Champions to win inaugural World Championship of Legends

Ambati Rayudu and Yusuf Pathan led the way with a quickfire half-century and a game-changing cameo respectively to help India Champions defeat Pakistan Champions and win the inaugural World Championship of Legends in Birmingham on Saturday.

India Champions restricted the Younis Khan-led Pakistani side to 156/6, before eclipsing that score with five wickets and as many deliveries to spare to win the inaugural edition of the WCL.

Rayudu laid the foundation for the Yuvraj Singh-led Indian team’s successful chase with a knock of 50 off 30 balls, collecting five fours and two sixes.

After getting the Indians off to a positive start in the powerplay, the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter shared a 60-run partnership for the third wicket with Gurkeerat Singh Mann that ensured that the target was always within the Men in Blue’s reach even if they did lose a wicket or two at the latter stages of their chase.

The in-form Yusuf Pathan, who had struck a half century in each of his last three outings and was in red-hot form, chipped in with a knock of 30 off just 16 deliveries that contained a four and three sixes.

Pakistan were starting to claw their way back into the game after both Rayudu and Mann had thrown their wickets away cheaply, and Pathan’s crucial cameo not only dashed Pakistan’s remaining hopes in the game, it also ensured India could waltz their way past the finish line and not have to worry about required rate at any given point.

Skipper Yuvraj, who had smashed a whirlwind 59 in the semi-final against Australia that would remain unbeaten on 15 while Yusuf’s brother Irfan (5 not out) hit the winning runs off Sohail Tanvir’s bowling at the start of the final over.

Rayudu received the Player of the Match award while Yusuf was adjudged the Player of the Tournament.

Pakistan had posted a mammoth 243/4 during their league stage meeting against arch-rivals India thanks to a flurry of half-centuries from their top-order. India, in reply, were a long way off from the target as the finished on 175/9 to suffer a 68-run thrashing.

The Men in Green, however, could only manage 156 in the final, with none of the batters going past fifty in the summit clash. Not only did they lose wickets upfront in the powerplay, resulting in Kamran Akmal and Sohaib Maqsood failing to convert their promising starts, Pakistan also experienced a long boundary drought during the middle overs that dashed their hopes of mounting a target in excess of 180.

Anureet Singh led the way among the Indian bowlers with figures of 3/43 while seam-bowling all-rounder Irfan (1/12 in 3) and left-arm spinner Pawan Negi’s (1/24 in 4) economical spells helped build pressure on the Pakistani batters and affect their scoring rate.

Irfan got rid of Younis Khan with in beauty of an inswinger that completely beat the defence of one of Pakistan’s finest batters of all time and left the stumps in a disarray.

Had it not been for Shoaib Malik’s 41 off 36 balls and Tanvir’s unbeaten 19 off 9 balls, Pakistan would have struggled to even cross 150. In the end, however, it hardly mattered for the Men in Blue as they chased the target down with ease.