Navi Mumbai, Feb 23 (IANS) The vintage strokes, fiery spells and unforgettable moments are back as the masters of the game relived rivalries and rewrote history at the inaugural edition of the International Masters League 2025 (IML) opener with India Masters pipping Sri Lanka Master by four runs in a high-scoring thriller to kick off their campaign in style at the DY Patil Stadium here on Saturday.
There was no shortage of excitement as the stalwarts from either side were right on the money, and the match went down to the wire, treating the crowd with a perfect glimpse of the kind of high-octane cricket matches that the inaugural season of the IML has to offer.
The proceedings began with batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar being invited to bat by his opposite number Kumar Sangakkara, and the iconic batter got India off to a flyer with a couple of boundaries, before rollicking half centuries from Stuart Binny and Yusuf Pathan and cameos from Gurkeerat Singh Mann and Yuvraj Singh propelled the hosts to the massive total.
Opening the innings with Ambati Rayudu, Sachin walked up to the trademark thunderous applause from the jam-packed crowd and reciprocated the love with two effortless boundaries in the first over off Isuru Udana before being dismissed.
Thereafter, Stuart Binny and Gurkeerat Singh Mann sent the Sri Lanka bowlers to the leather hunt to raise an 87-run stand for the third wicket and set the tone. Binny blasted a 31-ball 68, laced with seven massive sixes and three boundaries, while Mann missed his half-century by six runs, but his 32-ball knock, containing seven fours, ensured that the team reached 113 by the 12th over. After his departure, Yuvraj Singh joined Binny in the middle to add 33 runs.
There were glimpses of the vintage Yuvraj with southpaw mixed elegance with power, slamming a couple of sixes and fours for an unbeaten 22-ball 31, before Yusuf Pathan, the new man, outscored his partner with his lusty power-hitting. Going by his range of shots, it never appeared that Yusuf had retired from cricket as the Baroda right-hander smoked six breathtaking sixes and three boundaries for his undefeated 56 off 22 balls to power India to the gigantic total.
For the Sri Lanka Masters, Suranga Lakmal was the pick of the bowlers taking a couple of wickets even as none of the bowlers escaped the wrath of the India batters.
In response, skipper Sangakkara led Sri Lanka Masters’ chase with a graceful yet power-packed 30-ball 51, and, more importantly, set the platform with a 61-run second wicket stand with Lahiru Thirimanne, who came up with a 17-ball 24. However, Irfan Pathan’s introduction changed the complexion of the game in a couple of overs, as the left-arm quick accounted for three quick wickets, including the scalps of Sangakkara and Chaturanga de Silva off consecutive deliveries to apply the brakes.
Despite the setbacks, Asela Gunaratne (37 off 25 balls) and Jeevan Mendis (42 off 17) kept the tourists’ on the hunt with a 68-run stand for the sixth wicket before Dhawal Kulkarni broke the stand to bring some respite for the Indian dugout. Isuru Udana’s 7-ball 23, including a first ball six did tilt the tide in the favour of the visitors, before Vinay Kumar’s slower one brought the smiles back to the crowd.
The intensity of the match could be gauged by the fact that the equation was down to Sri Lanka needing 9 off the final six deliveries, but Abhimanyu Mithun held his nerves to pick two wickets in exchange for five runs to script India’s victory.
Brief scores: India Masters 222/4 (Stuart Binny 68, Yusuf Pathan 56 not out, Gurkeerat Singh Mann 44, Yuvraj Singh 31 not out; Suranga Lakmal 2-34) beat Sri Lanka Masters 218/9 (Kumar Sangakkara 51, Jeevan Mendis 42, Asela Gunaratne 37; Irfan Pathan 3/39, Dhawal Kulkarni 2/34, Abhimanyu Mithun 2-41) by four runs.
–IANS
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