Panaji (Goa) [India], January 30 : The sixth match of the World Legends Pro T20 League witnessed Gurugram Thunders register their first win of the tournament, successfully chasing a challenging target of 200 against Maharashtra Tycoons with three balls remaining.
The chase was anchored by a composed, unbeaten half-century of 74 off 43 balls from Chirag Gandhi, whose innings proved decisive under pressure.
Maharashtra Tycoons, batting first, endured a difficult start as they lost early wickets in quick succession. Gurugram capitalised on the early movement, with Sreesanth making an immediate impact by dismissing Sir Alastair Cook in his opening over. The Tycoons were placed under sustained pressure as wickets continued to fall during the powerplay.
A period of consolidation followed, driven by a steady partnership between Shaun Marsh and Asghar Afghan. Marsh anchored the innings with a well-paced half-century, providing much-needed stability. Despite the rebuild, Maharashtra continued to lose wickets at regular intervals and found themselves in a precarious position at 90 for 5.
The innings was then transformed by Sarul Kanwar, who produced a commanding knock of 83 off just 36 deliveries. Batting through the middle overs, Kanwar controlled the tempo of the innings before accelerating in the latter stages, finding boundaries consistently to lift the Tycoons to a competitive total of 199 for 7.
The innings was built on sustained scoring rather than a late surge, setting Gurugram Thunder a demanding target under lights.
In reply, Gurugram Thunders made a solid start through Cheteshwar Pujara and Jermaine Blackwood, who added 53 runs for the opening wicket to provide a stable foundation for the chase. As the required run rate increased, Chirag Gandhi assumed responsibility, rotating the strike effectively and capitalising on scoring opportunities.
Gandhi reached his half-century and remained unbeaten until the conclusion of the innings, displaying composure and sound judgment in the closing stages. He was well supported by Thisara Perera, whose timely contributions ensured Gurugram maintained momentum. The pair guided the Thunders to victory with three balls to spare, sealing a significant win for the side.
Speaking after the match, Mauvin Godinho, Minister for Industries, Transport and Panchayat, Govt of Goa, said, "I thoroughly enjoyed today's match between Gurugram Thunders and Maharashtra Tycoons. Cricket is something that binds all of us Indians together, perhaps a religion to many people in this country. Equally meaningful is the 1919 ground built which is owned by my very own friend and the sarpanch of Chicalim and inaugurated by Surya Kumar Yadav. This ground will help build and promote young cricketers who would be material for the indian team perhaps. We cannot but stop saluting even, women cricketers who have recently won the world cup. This ground will certainly be the harbinger of cricket in a very big way."
Earlier in the day's other fixture, Rajasthan Lions secured a 16-run victory over Dubai Royals. After an early setback at 23 for 2, Rajasthan recovered through a fluent 66 off 43 balls from Naman Ojha, with valuable late contributions from Jesal Karia and Bipul Sharma, despite a hat-trick from Piyush Chawla.
Defending a total of 170 for 9, Rajasthan's bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, with Jesal Karia and Bipul Sharma claiming three wickets each to restrict Dubai Royals to 154 all out in 19.1 overs.
Brief Score:
Maharashtra Tycoons - 199/7 (20 overs)
Sarul Kanwar - 83 (36)*
Shaun Marsh - 52 (37)
Saurin Thakar - 2/27 (4 overs)
Rayad Emrit - 2/44 (4 overs)
Gurugram Thunders - 200/5 (19.3 overs)
Chirag Gandhi - 74 (43)*
Jermaine Blackwood - 43 (30)
Carlos Brathwaite - 2/22 (4 overs)
Peter Siddle - 1/36 (4 overs).