The inaugural edition of the World Legends Pro T20 League held in Goa concluded with a bang, as Dubai Royals were crowned champions after securing a comfortable 8-wicket win over Pune Panthers courtesy of a spectacular chase by the Royals who hit form at the right time in the tournament.
Winning the toss in the title clash, Pune Panthers opted to bat first, with Dubai Royals turning to spin from both ends through Samit Patel and Parvez Rasool. The move did little to slow Pune’s openers, who stitched together a solid 100-run opening partnership. Upul Tharanga anchored the stand with a composed 55 before Parvez Rasool provided the first breakthrough for Dubai.
Piyush Chawla then struck twice to pull things back, removing the in-form Martin Guptill for 62 and dismissing Pune captain Kieron Pollard cheaply. Shane Watson finished the innings in style with an unbeaten 24-ball half-century, guiding Pune Panthers to a commanding 195/4 at the end of 20 overs.
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Coming out to chase a stiff target under pressure, Dubai Royals made a steady start, with Manvinder Bisla leading the charge with a fluent half-century. At the other end, captain Shikhar Dhawan, in phenomenal form throughout the tournament, continued his sublime touch with yet another fifty, keeping the chase alive. Dhawan was eventually dismissed for 64, with DJ Bravo providing the much-needed breakthrough for the Panthers.
Bisla soon followed back to the pavilion, after which Samit Patel and Ambati Rayudu stitched together a crucial partnership of 50 runs, steering Dubai Royals to a comfortable victory to become the first-ever champions of the World Legends Pro T20 League.
Held at Goa’s 1919 Sportz Stadium over the last 10 days, the festival of cricket brought together 90 players from across the world in a fiercely competitive tournament. The game was attended by Tourism Minister Rohan A Khaunte and Govind Gaude, MLA. Highlighting the broader impact of such events, Khaunte stated: “Sports tourism plays a vital role in diversifying Goa’s tourism economy by attracting athletes, families and fans who engage more meaningfully with the destination and contribute to longer stays. Such platforms generate tangible benefits for local businesses, service providers and communities, thereby strengthening the tourism value chain across the State.
As travel trends shift towards active and experience-led journeys, sports tourism aligns naturally with our broader vision of responsible, regenerative and inclusive tourism. We are focussed on promoting Goa beyond conventional perceptions, integrating sporting events with culture, cuisine, wellness, spirituality and community-led experiences, so that visitors take back not just memories of a match, but a deeper connection with Goa and its people.”
Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla with 15 Wickets, emerged the highest wicket-taker (Purple cap). New Zealand great Martin Guptill (317 Runs) topped the run-getters list (Orange cap).
Brief score:
Pune Panthers – 194/4 (20 overs)
● Martin Guptill – 62(40)
● Upul Tharanga – 55(39)
● Piyush Chawla – 2/42 (4 overs)
● Parvez Rasool – 1/30 (4 overs)
Dubai Royals – 197/2 (19 overs)
● Manvinder Bisla – 67 (44)
● Shikhar Dhawan – 64 (39)
● Ankit Rajpoot – 1/27 (4 overs)
● Dwayne Bravo – 1/36 (4 overs).
