218/9 (20.0)
CR : 10.90
222/4 (20.0)
CR : 11.10
India Masters won by 4 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Stuart Binny
0/1168(31)
Over 20
Sri Lanka Masters 218/9
Suranga Lakmal1(1)
Nuwan Pradeep1(1)
Abhimanyu Mithun2-41(4.0)
INDM won by 4 runs
11:32 PM: The India Masters seal a tense game to defeat Sri Lanka Masters by 4 runs on the very last ball of the match to kick start their campaign in the International Masters League 2025.
Abhimanyu Mithun who had conceded 39 runs in 3 overs was tasked to deliver the final over and conceded just 2 runs off the bat and picked up 2 important wickets to seal the victory for the Indian side.
Earlier Sri Lanka Masters won the toss and elected to bowl first with India Masters scoring 222/4 riding on half centuries from Stuart Binny (68) and Yusuf Pathan (56*). Suranga Lakmal picked up 2/34 for SL Masters.
Chasing a steep total, SL started off well despite losing Upul Tharanga early. Skipper Kumar Sangakkara added 61 runs with Lahiru Thirimanne for the 2nd wicket and scored 51 off 30 balls to set the base for a fighting chase.
Asela Gunaratne at number 4 held one end and continued to milk boundaries regularly. Chaturanga de Silva and Ashan Priyanjan couldn't do much with the bat but it was Jeevan Mendis adding 68 with Asela for the 6th wicket helping Lanka to fight back.
Mendis scored 42 off just 17 balls hitting 3 sixes and as many fours and was dismissed by Dhawal Kulkarni in the 18th over. Isuru Udana at number 9 smashed 23 off 7 balls but was cleaned bowled by Vinay Kumar in the penultimate over with just 10 required in 7 balls.
Mithun did a great job in the final over conceding a bye, a leg bye then dismissing Seekkuge Prasanna off the third ball. The fourth delivery was referred for LBW as the umpire didn't raise the finger but there was an inside edge involved from Lakmal's blade that brought the dangerous Asela on strike with 6 needed in 2 balls.
Mithun trusted his length and removed Asela on the fifth ball of the over with Vinay Kumar taking another fine catch. Needing 6 off the final ball, last man Nuwan Pradeep could only manage a single.
Irfan Pathan picked up 3/39 in the middle overs with Kulkarni (2/34), Mithun (2/41) and Vinay (2/53) claiming a couple of wickets each. Stay tuned as we bring you the post match presentation.
Abhimanyu Mithun who had conceded 39 runs in 3 overs was tasked to deliver the final over and conceded just 2 runs off the bat and picked up 2 important wickets to seal the victory for the Indian side.
Earlier Sri Lanka Masters won the toss and elected to bowl first with India Masters scoring 222/4 riding on half centuries from Stuart Binny (68) and Yusuf Pathan (56*). Suranga Lakmal picked up 2/34 for SL Masters.
Chasing a steep total, SL started off well despite losing Upul Tharanga early. Skipper Kumar Sangakkara added 61 runs with Lahiru Thirimanne for the 2nd wicket and scored 51 off 30 balls to set the base for a fighting chase.
Asela Gunaratne at number 4 held one end and continued to milk boundaries regularly. Chaturanga de Silva and Ashan Priyanjan couldn't do much with the bat but it was Jeevan Mendis adding 68 with Asela for the 6th wicket helping Lanka to fight back.
Mendis scored 42 off just 17 balls hitting 3 sixes and as many fours and was dismissed by Dhawal Kulkarni in the 18th over. Isuru Udana at number 9 smashed 23 off 7 balls but was cleaned bowled by Vinay Kumar in the penultimate over with just 10 required in 7 balls.
Mithun did a great job in the final over conceding a bye, a leg bye then dismissing Seekkuge Prasanna off the third ball. The fourth delivery was referred for LBW as the umpire didn't raise the finger but there was an inside edge involved from Lakmal's blade that brought the dangerous Asela on strike with 6 needed in 2 balls.
Mithun trusted his length and removed Asela on the fifth ball of the over with Vinay Kumar taking another fine catch. Needing 6 off the final ball, last man Nuwan Pradeep could only manage a single.
Irfan Pathan picked up 3/39 in the middle overs with Kulkarni (2/34), Mithun (2/41) and Vinay (2/53) claiming a couple of wickets each. Stay tuned as we bring you the post match presentation.
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka Masters): "It is a great game. A few runs here and there we would have probably managed to get over the line. The Indian side managed to pull back. The batters from our side did really well.
It took me a while to get going. The pitch was really good. I tried to hold my shape. Pretty happy with the day out.
It's one thing to come and play and another to make sure that the cricket is of a high level. It was all about playing good competitive cricket. Both sides put on a great show."
It took me a while to get going. The pitch was really good. I tried to hold my shape. Pretty happy with the day out.
It's one thing to come and play and another to make sure that the cricket is of a high level. It was all about playing good competitive cricket. Both sides put on a great show."
Player of the Match: Stuart Binny
Stuart Binny (Player of the Match): "We were waiting for a long time for this tournament. I don't normally bat at number 4. Paji asked me to prepare to bat just in case we lost early wickets. He also said look to play normal cricket. I am used to hit sixes. Once you are set you can go from there.
That's the way you play in the powerplay as well. Once you get set, the wicket is so good that you can materialize from there.
It's nice to be among the legends, the dressing room is very positive."
That's the way you play in the powerplay as well. Once you get set, the wicket is so good that you can materialize from there.
It's nice to be among the legends, the dressing room is very positive."
Sachin Tendulkar (India Masters Captain): "It's always a great feeling to walk out in the middle and I thought the pitch played beautifully. This ground has been a special ground and today was no different. The atmosphere was also fantastic. What an opener for IML.
A big thank you to everyone to turn up and support the team to support cricket above all. It was quality cricket and that's what the crowd wanted to witness. Today was a wonderful day. I got back in the dressing room, sat down and the whole team was happy because these moments are important. Couple of runs can change your mood. You have to restart again building. When you win you get points in your kitty.
They batted well. Sanga also batted very well. Quite a few important partnerships but I felt our bowlers they hit back at the right time. Mithun bowled a fabulous last over. Irfan unbelievably well in the middle overs and everyone chipped in. A team effort was required. There were 3 guys who stood out with the bat. Stuart was fabulous and what a blinder from Yusuf. Yuvi got going towards the end as well.
Still strong enough to hold my legs here. When the ball goes up and the crowd is this loud it is difficult to hear each other and my conversation with Rayudu was 'I kind of expected that you would be somewhere around'."
A big thank you to everyone to turn up and support the team to support cricket above all. It was quality cricket and that's what the crowd wanted to witness. Today was a wonderful day. I got back in the dressing room, sat down and the whole team was happy because these moments are important. Couple of runs can change your mood. You have to restart again building. When you win you get points in your kitty.
They batted well. Sanga also batted very well. Quite a few important partnerships but I felt our bowlers they hit back at the right time. Mithun bowled a fabulous last over. Irfan unbelievably well in the middle overs and everyone chipped in. A team effort was required. There were 3 guys who stood out with the bat. Stuart was fabulous and what a blinder from Yusuf. Yuvi got going towards the end as well.
Still strong enough to hold my legs here. When the ball goes up and the crowd is this loud it is difficult to hear each other and my conversation with Rayudu was 'I kind of expected that you would be somewhere around'."
That's it from our coverage from the first game in the International Masters League. Ninaad Dixit here signing off on behalf of scorer Chandan Kumar Singh. Stay tuned for more action from around the world.