October 4th 2024.
It was a nail-biting match at the Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu as India Capitals took on Konark Suryas Odisha in the fifth match of the Legends League Cricket 2024. The Capitals gave it their all, but unfortunately, they fell just five runs short of victory in a low-scoring thriller on Friday.
Winning the toss, India Capitals decided to bowl first and made three changes to their lineup. They put up a disciplined bowling performance, with Iqbal Abdulla being the standout performer. Abdulla took three wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs, causing trouble for Konark Suryas' top order. He was on fire, dismissing opener Richard Levi in the second over and then taking out Jesse Ryder in his very next over. This put Konark in a difficult position, with a score of 13/2 after four overs.
However, Kevin O'Brien and Dilshan Munaweera stepped up and steadied the innings with a crucial 77-run partnership off 75 balls. They kept the scoreboard moving with singles and a few boundaries, but the scoring rate remained below par. Munaweera was eventually dismissed by Abdulla in the 16th over, giving him his third wicket and restricting Konark's progress. O'Brien, on the other hand, remained unbeaten, scoring 55 runs off 46 balls and helping his team reach a total of 127/4 at the end of 20 overs. Dhawal Kulkarni also impressed with figures of 1-22 in his four overs.
In response, India Capitals faced early pressure as their impact substitute, Dwayne Smith, was bowled for a duck in the very first over by Diwesh Pathania. Skipper Ian Bell decided to promote himself up the order, but he was quickly dismissed by Kevon Cooper, leaving the Capitals struggling at 12/2 within four overs.
Faiz Fazal and Bharat Chipli tried to rebuild the innings with a 43-run partnership, but runs were hard to come by. Fazal was eventually caught behind just before the halfway mark, leaving the Capitals at 55/3. Ben Dunk briefly provided some hope with a boundary, but he was soon dismissed by Yusuf Pathan, who then orchestrated the run out of Ashley Nurse for two runs. By the 14th over, India Capitals were in trouble at 71/5, needing 57 runs off 36 balls.
Bharat Chipli showed great determination and smashed consecutive sixes off Pravin Tambe to complete his half-century. However, wickets continued to fall at the other end, with Iqbal Abdulla and Colin de Grandhomme getting dismissed cheaply. This put the Capitals in a tough spot, with 23 runs still required from the final 12 balls. Despite Chipli's unbeaten 61 off 48 balls, including three sixes, Konark's bowlers held their nerve. The Capitals could only manage five runs in the penultimate over, leaving too much to do in the final six balls. They ended their innings at 122/7, falling just five runs short of the target and giving Konark Suryas Odisha a hard-fought victory.
The Capitals will now face the Manipal Tigers on October 7 at the same venue. It will be another exciting match to watch as both teams will be looking to bounce back from their previous losses and secure a win.
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