Welcome to Sportstar‘s LIVE Coverage of the Legends League Cricket match between India Maharajas and Asia Lions. This is Lalith Kalidas bringing you the updates as it unfurls at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman.

Misbah whacks Gony over deep mid-wicket for a cracking SIX to start things off.  Short again from Gony and Misbah gives the same treatment. Badrinath attempts to complete a catch at the fence but steps on the boundary cushions, another SIX. Gony goes wide outside off and Misbah miscues the slog over cover. Irfan completes a good few yards and tacks a fine catch at extra cover. The skipper departs after an exciting knock of 44.  Umar Gul is the new man in. He gets off the mark with a slap through cover for FOUR. Gony keeps it straight on the stumps and hits the timber off the last ball to finish.  The Indians are set a hefty 176-run target in the tournament opener.

Misbah c Irfan Pathan b Gony 44(30) [4s-1 6s-4]

ALN 158/5 in 19 overs: Munaf keeps it tight on length and concedes just five runs from the penultimate over. Gony will up to close of the innings. Can Misbah land a couple of meaty blows?

ALN 153/5 in 18 overs: Binny with a flurry of slower balls. He gets one to spring up and hit Azhar’s helmet as he gets a single. Binny drops on the slot and Misbah heaves through the arc and gets a massive SIX storming over the mid-wicket fence. Binny drops short outside off and Azhar cuts it over point and Yusuf Pathan drops a low catch on the run and the ball rolls over for FOUR.

Binny replaces Irfan

ALN 140/5 in 17 overs: Tharanga goes for the slog and holes out to the deep. Venugopal Rao takes a fine catch at deep cover as Tharanga aims to slash the slower bouncer over the fence. Azhar Mahmood comes in at 7. He gets off strike instantly with a single. Short from Munaf again and Misbah rocks back and slams the ball past square leg for FOUR. Tharanga c V Rao b Munaf Patel 66(46) [4s-7 6s-2]

Munaf returns

ALN 132/4 in 16 overs: Tharanga continues his march. He steps out to smack Pathan straight down the ground for SIX. Pathan offers a hint of room and Tharanga swings his arms though the off-side for another FOUR past cover as Pathan bowls out.

ALN 120/4 in 15 overs: Tharanga swivels and sends the ball down to the fine leg fence for FOUR. And that’s fifty for Tharanga, a well compiled half-century while he’s lost partners at regular intervals at the other end.

Gony back after the break

Timeout.

ALN 113/4 in 14 overs: Irfan hits the deck hard and Misbah mistimes the pull. Badrinath leaps to his right and nearly manages to pull off a blinder. The ball brushes his stretched fingers and falls away from his reach. Irfan gestures to Kaif that he wanted the mid-wicket fielder a tad finer. Three runs from the over as we move into the break.

ALN 110/4 in 13 overs: Ojha drops short and Tharanga easily puts him past square leg for FOUR and follows up with a single. Ojha floats one in straight and Misbah nearly chops it back to his stumps. Ojha slides the ball in again and Misbah advances and stomps the ball over long-on for SIX!

Ojha returns

ALN 97/4 in 12 overs: Irfan mixes up his lengths perfectly to keep Misbah cramping for room. Excellent over this for India, just four runs from it.

ALN 93/4 in 11 overs: Tharanga glides a loosener outside the off-stump past backward point for FOUR. Rao fends short and Tharanga rocks back and slams it past mid-wicket for another FOUR to complete the over.

Venugopal Rao replaces Ojha

ALN 80/4 in 10 overs: Irfan gets Hafeez first ball! A gentle leg-cutter outside the off-stump and Hafeez guides it straight to Munaf Patel at short third-man! Yousuf in at 5. He’s off the mark with a single to point. Tharanga pushes to long-on for a single. Edged and Irfan gets another one! Yousuf departs second ball.  Irfan cramps him for room and finds the outside-edge of a ball that gently shapes in to the batter. Ojha takes a fine low catch and Pathan’s on a roll already.  A hint of swing for Irfan as he finishes the over with an excellent delivery in the blockhole to skipper Misbah who has walked in at 6.

Hafeez c Munaf Patel b Irfan Pathan 16(13) [4s-1 6s-1]; Yousuf c Naman Ojha b Irfan Pathan 1(2)

Irfan Pathan into the attack

ALN 77/2 in 9 overs: Ojha floats one in and bang goes Hafeez down the ground. Shimmies down the pitch and graciously lifts the ball over long-off for SIX. Ojha wafts the ball in and keeps the batters deep in the crease.

ALN 67/2 in 8 overs: Gony to continue and he finds a streaky edge from Hafeez. The ball sits up from the length as Hafeez aims to slog it down the ground. It clips the outside-edge and zips past the keeper for FOUR.

ALN 61/2 in 7 overs: Ojha finds his radar rightaway and the batters resort to singles to keep the scoreboard ticking. Five runs of the over.

Pragyan Ojha into the attack

ALN 56/2 in 6 overs: Gony begins with a wide down leg before Akmal punches him over mid-wicket for SIX. Another wide from Gony. Gony fends short again and this time Akmal finds the deep square leg fielder! Badani it is near the boundary rope who completes a fine catch. Hafeez in at 4. Hafeez gets off strike with a gentle push to short third. Tharanga follows up with an delicate late cut past short third-man for FOUR. Tharanga pulls and Binny puts in an excellent dive to save two runs at the deep mid-wicket fence.

Kamran Akmal c Badani b Gony 25(17) [4s-3 6s-1]

Gony replaces Munaf

ALN 41/1 in 5 overs: Akmal shuffles across the stumps and flicks Binny to deep mid-wicket. A fielder in place and India restricts him to a single. Binny drops on length and Tharanga swivels and pulls him fine for the first SIX  of the night.

Binny to continue

ALN 28/1 in 4 overs: Munaf keeps it simple and tight around the stumps. The batters exchange strike with a couple of singles before Tharanga eases into a beautiful drive through cover for FOUR.

ALN 21/1 in 3 overs: Binny keeps it tight on the stumps and induces a streaky stroke from Akmal. He miscues a flick and the leading edge goes straight up and it’s dropped by Badrinath at extra cover! He sets himself well beneath it but the ball slips through his cup and to the floor. Akmal follows up with a crunching FOUR through cover.

ALN 16/1 in 2 overs: Munaf attacks the stumps rightaway and Akmal blocks it. Akmal follows up with a wristy flick past mid-on for FOUR. He gets a single and Tharanga opens his account with a drive to deep point.

Munaf Patel from the opposite end

ALN 10/1 in 1 over: Binny starts with a loosener and Dilshan starts with a FOUR through extra cover. All hands on that one as the ball races past extra cover to the fence. A single taken and Akmal’s off to a fiery start with a beautiful drive through cover for FOUR. Akmal pushes the ball to mid-on and gets off strike. Dilshan goes for the scoop and there’s a loud shout from Binny. The umpire denies and India reviews.  THREE REDS on replay and Dilshan’s on his way. Binny has struck with a straighter one after a wry start. Tharanga replaces his former teammate. Dilshan lbw b Binny 5(3) [4s-1]

Stuart Binny with the new ball for India.

Here we go! The Maharajas led by Kaif have taken the field. Dilshan and Akmal opening for the Asia Lions. 

The teams have lined up in the middle. Ravi Shastri and Wasim Akram – Shaz and Waz are here greeting the players ahead of the start of play.

India Maharajas XI: Naman Ojha (w), S Badrinath, Hemang Badani, Venugopal Rao, Mohammad Kaif (c), Yusuf Pathan, Stuart Binny, Irfan Pathan, Pragyan Ojha, Manpreet Gony, Munaf Patel – Yuvraj, Sehwag and Bhajji miss out tonight!

Asia Lions XI: Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kamral Akmal (w), Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah Ul Haq (c), Azhar Mahmood, Mohammad Hafeez, Nuwan Kulasekara, Shoaib Akhtar, Muttiah Muralitharan, Umar Gul

7-43PM IST: Interesting to note that we have four women officials to overlook the proceedings tonight.

TOSS: India wins toss, opts to bowl.

TOSS TIME! Mohammed Kaif leading India and Misbah representing the Asia Lions.

7-15PM IST: We’re under an hour away from the return of a host of 21st century’s most revered cricketers. Who are you rooting for tonight?

Preview

In the climax of the Hollywood musical, Mary Poppins Returns, the eponymous English nanny turns the clock, the famed Big Ben of London, back by five minutes. Miss Poppins, played by the delightful Emily Blunt, had the magical powers to do that.

Over the next few days at the Al Amerat Cricket Stadium, the clock will turn several times over in the inaugural edition of the Legends League Cricket. The three teams – India Maharaja, Asia Lions and World Giants – feature some of the all-time cricketing greats.

The teams will play each other twice before the final on January 29.

The Indian team includes Virender Sehwag, who is expected to join after missing the first few games, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Mohammed Kaif, Irfan Pathan and Nayan Mongia.

The Asia Lions comprises men from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It features  Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Mohammed Hafeez, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mohammed Yousuf, Misbah ul Haq, Habibul Bashar and Ashgar Afghan.

The World Giants are Kevin Pietersen, Jonty Rhodes, Brett Lee, Daren Sammy, Imran Tahir, Herschelle Gibbs, Daniel Vettori, Morne Morkel, Brendan Taylor, Kevin O’Brien and Monty Panesar.

Some players have only recently retired and look fit enough for the franchise leagues. Many of them may have bid goodbye a while ago and taken up coaching and commentating jobs, but they could still replay from memory and produce those scintillating strokes and magic balls.

– P.K. Ajith Kumar

RELATED

Where to watch India Maharajas vs Asia Lions, Legends League Cricket 2022 match?

The live broadcast of the Legends League Cricket 2022 will be available on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 3 . You can catch the live commentary on Sportstar.