LLC 2022 Highlights: India Capitals rides Mire and Masakadza show to first victory against Bhilwara Kings

The Zimbabwean duo of Solomon Mire and Henry Masakadza swung their bats hard to attain great success. India Capitals defeated Bhilwara Kings by 78 runs in Game 4 of the Legends League Cricket (LLC) 2022 at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday. Mire’s knock of 38-ball 82 and Masakadza’s 48 off 30 deliveries permitted the Gautam Gambhir-led Capitals to post a hefty total of 198/5, the highest total of LLC so far. The Capitals’ bowlers also chipped away with regular wickets to notch their opening season win. Irfan Pathan’s Bhilwara was skittled for 120 in 19.2 overs.

Bhilwara bumbled during the chase right away. A couple of superb overs from Capitals seamer Pankaj Singh (2/17) pushed back Bhilwara, as he scalped Nick Compton’s and Naman Ojha’s crucial wickets. If Pankaj demonstrated immaculate control over line and length, Pravin Tambe was enchanting with his spin art. The 50-year-old bagged 2/24 on Wednesday.

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Bhilwara’s hopes of chasing down the towering total hinged on the Pathan brothers — Yusuf and Irfan. While they came together with their team struggling on 51/4, Yusuf (14) looked dangerous with the bat before being caught at deep mid-wicket, whereas Irfan was dismissed for 17. After that, it became demanding for Bhilwara to match the required rate. 

After being asked to bat initially, the Capitals lost skipper Gambhir prematurely. But, the ‘M & M’ pair of Mire and Masakadza cast a brutish retaliation to give the Capitals the upper hand during the contest. The two cropped up a 105-run stand, mainly dealing in boundaries. Yusuf gave Bhilwara a critical breakthrough, trapping Masakadza leg-before. Mire, however, did not stay put but mistimed a hoick off Yusufbut had already done the damage by then.