: LLC Masters: World Giants stop India Maharajas by two runs in last-ball thriller #IndiaNEWS #Sports Doha (Qatar), March 12 (IANS) World Giants pulled off a thrilling two-run win over India Maharajas

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LLC Masters: World Giants stop India Maharajas by two runs in last-ball thriller #IndiaNEWS #Sports
Doha (Qatar), March 12 (IANS) World Giants pulled off a thrilling two-run win over India Maharajas in the second match of the Legends League Cricket (LLC) Masters at the Asia Town Cricket Stadium here.
The edge-of-the-seat thriller followed after World Giants had posted 166 for 8 in 20 overs on Saturday night, riding on skipper Aaron Finchs 53 off 31 balls with seven boundaries and three sixes and Shane Watsons 55 runs off 32 balls with five boundaries and three sixes.
A captains knock of 68 from Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singhs four-wicket spell for 13 runs for Indian Maharajas, unfortunately, went in vain.
It was Gambhirs second consecutive half-century after his 54 against Asia Lions in the opener and his 68 in this match came off 42 balls with nine boundaries and one six. With eight runs needed off the last over, Brett Lee gave away just five runs to give the defending champions World Giants a winning start.
Earlier, World Giants won the toss and elected to bat. Chris Gayle, who opened with skipper Aaron Finch, smashed the second delivery from Irfan Pathan to the extra cover boundary. Pathan kept Gayle quiet with the rest of his deliveries.
Harbhajan Singh, who bowled the third over, struck with his first delivery clean bowling Gayle with a beauty that spun in to hit the leg stump. Gayle trying to play a paddle shot, missed the turn and fell for 4. Shane Watson greeted Harbhajan with two consecutive boundaries the first an elegant sweep to fine leg and another a pull to backward square leg.
Finch then hammered a good length delivery from Ashok Dinda to the mid-wicket fence and flicked the last ball of the fourth over to the square-leg fence.
Finch was aggressive against Pragyan Ojha, who bowled the fifth over, scoring two consecutive boundaries off the first and second deliveries and then picking two boundaries off the fourth and fifth deliveries. Finch also hit a six off the last ball over extra cover to take 23 runs off that over. Pathan was also not spared by Watson, and with Finch hitting boundaries to mid-wicket and cover. 63 runs came off the powerplay.
Despite the onslaught by Finch, Indian Maharajas skipper Gautam Gambhir continued with Ojha. Finch celebrated the decision by hitting Ojhas second delivery to fine leg and then scoring two consecutive sixes both over extra cover. Finch reached his half-century in just 26 balls.
Watson flicked a six off Stuart Binny, who bowled the eighth over. Pravin Tambe, the 51-year-old leg-break bowler, well known for his ability to provide breakthroughs, did it with the last delivery of his first over. He had Finch caught by wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa for 53 runs while attempting a cut shot.

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