Martin Guptill anchors chase while Shinwari shines with bat and ball
PANAJI
The World Legends Pro T20 League delivered early fireworks as Shane Watson-led Pune Panthers locked horns with Thisara Perera’s Gurugram Thunders in a high-intensity, star-studded encounter. A blistering 68 off just 28 balls from Martin Guptill powered the Panthers to a four-wicket victory at the 1919 Sportz Cricket Stadium, Verna, on Tuesday.
With both teams eager to make an early statement in the tournament, Gurugram Thunders won the toss and elected to bat first. They posted a competitive total of 159 for 5, built around a commanding innings from Ross Taylor. Despite early setbacks, the Thunders kept the scoreboard moving, absorbing pressure through the middle overs.
Dwayne Bravo then tightened the screws with two quick wickets, briefly putting the brakes on the scoring. Taylor, however, held the innings together with a composed and authoritative knock, finding solid support from Colin de Grandhomme. The pair stitched together a crucial partnership that stabilised the innings and ensured Gurugram finished with a respectable total on the board.
In reply, Pune Panthers lost Shane Watson early, but Martin Guptill held the fort, anchoring a crucial 72-run partnership to restore momentum. Speaking about the chase, Guptill said, “It was good to set the tone early. Chases like that can get tricky if you lose wickets, but we managed to stay ahead of the run rate, and from there it was pretty straightforward. It was great fun playing against familiar faces and enjoying a bit of banter out in the middle. Today’s done now, though we take the confidence, reset, and go again tomorrow.”
The Panthers lost a few wickets in the middle overs, momentarily slowing the chase, but Afghan all-rounder Sayed Shirzad Shinwari made a telling impact with both bat and ball. Earlier, when asked to bowl first, he struck twice by removing both Gurugram openers. He later provided valuable support in the chase with a quickfire 21 off 10 balls.
Guptill remained the driving force of the pursuit, his blistering 68 off 28 deliveries keeping the required rate firmly in check. His aggressive strokeplay ensured the Panthers crossed the line with four wickets in hand, sealing an impressive win to kick off their campaign.
In the latter match, Maharashtra Tycoons beat Rajasthan Lions by 8 runs. Chris Gayle was named the Legend of the match for setting up his side score with a 29-ball 45.
