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Legends League Cricket: Manipal Tigers beat India Capitals but fail to make playoffs

The last league game of the season, between the Tigers and India Capitals, turned out to be an absolute thriller, highlighting once again the high competitive quality of the tournament.

Ricardo Powell scored 96 off 52 balls

Jodhpur, October 2: Ricardo Powell powered Manipal Tigers to 3-wicket victory over India Capitals at the Barkatullah Khan Stadium in Jodhpur on Saturday (October 1), but an inferior net run rate cost them a Legends League Cricket (LLC) playoff spot.

The last league game of the season, between the Tigers and India Capitals, turned out to be an absolute thriller, highlighting once again the high competitive quality of the tournament. Ironically, the Tigers bowed out despite winning the match.

Tigers finished on the same number of points - 5 - as the Gujarat Giants, but an inferior net run rate meant they finished at the bottom of the four-team table. The Giants had a net run rate of -0.366, while the Tigers ended with -0.467. Only the top three teams qualify for the playoffs.

Chasing a 184-run target, former West Indies batter Powell used his power to the fullest as he hit fours and sixes almost at will. When the Tigers were 167/2 in 16.4 overs, they needed to make the remaining 17 runs off 10 balls to finish with a better net run rate than the Giants.

With Powell going hammer and tongs and a set Corey Anderson at the other end, it seemed the Tigers were well on course. But the match turned dramatically when they lost the pair.

First Anderson (39 off 21 balls) was dismissed by Ishwar Pandey and, a few balls later, Powell too departed to Rajat Bhatia. The Caribbean big-hitter scored 96 off just 52 bowls with eight fours and seven sixes.

At that stage, the Tigers needed 11 off 3 balls with the task cut out for the new batters at the crease. They ultimately won off the last ball of the match, but by then it was too late.

Ross Taylor

Earlier put into bat, powered by three solid half-centuries, the India Capitals posted a challenging total of 183/2 on the board in their quota of 20 overs.

Hamilton Masakadza (60 off 35 balls), Denesh Ramdin (64 off 51 balls) and Ross Taylor (51 not out off 31 balls), who was also captaining the Capitals on Saturday (October 1), struck fifties.

Such was Masakadza's dominance at the crease that when the Capitals scored an impressive 58 without loss after six overs, the 39-year-old alone had scored 51 of those runs.

In the Qualifier on Sunday (October 2), the Capitals will face off with the Bhilwara Kings for a place in the final. While on Monday (October 3), the loser of the Qualifier will play against Giants in the Eliminator contest. Both the matches will be played in Jodhpur.

Story first published: Sunday, October 2, 2022, 8:22 [IST]
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