Legends Cricket Trophy 2024: New York Superstar Strikers and Kandy Samp Army come out on top

A relentless run-fest was witnessed on Monday as two fixtures didn't disappoint the fans at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in the ongoing edition of Legends Cricket Trophy (LCT) 2024. The first match of the day was between Delhi Devils and New York Superstar Strikers whereas Kandy Samp Army locked horns with Colombo Lions in the second game.

As far as the first game is concerned, New York Superstar Strikers pulled off a stunning 50-run win over Delhi Devils. Batting first, New York Superstar Strikers immensely benefitted from the services of Lahiru Thirimanne. The experienced campaigner stole the spotlight for unleashing his batting masterclass against the Delhi Devils and steered New York Superstar Strikers into the comfort zone. When the former Sri Lankan cricketer got off to a good start, he showed positive signs that he got a bit between his teeth. He gained a great deal of confidence from the get-go and went about his business like a hot knife through butter.

He set his sights on scoring a big knock and there was literally no stopping him. The left-hander scored runs at a rate of knots wherein he pitched in with a blistering 90 off 39 balls, laced with 11 fours and 5 hits over the fence at a rollicking strike rate of 230.77. Lahiru didn't get support from other batters as he was the lone warrior for the team. His sterling innings powered New York Superstar Strikers to the highest-ever team total (185/6 in 90 balls) so far in LCT 2024.

On the contrary, although Delhi Devils' bowlers Anureet Singh and Ishan Malhotra took two wickets apiece, the damage had already been done by Lahiru Thirimanne. In reply, Delhi Devils had their task cut out to pull off something remarkable in the run-chase, but they lacked ammunition to seal the deal as they could muster 135/5 in 90 balls. Skipper Suresh Raina entertained the fans with his unbeaten 50 off 35 but that wasn't enough for the team to get over the finishing line as New York Superstar Strikers make it two wins on the trot. Isuru Udana was the pick of the bowlers for New York as he registered 3/24 in his quota of 4 overs.

Coming to the second game, Kandy Samp Army opened their account with a win over the Colombo Lions. Kandy Samp Army suffered a defeat to Rajasthan Kings in their first game but their gritty performance against Colombo was more than enough to see them taste their first win of this season. On the other hand, the Colombo Lions suffered back-to-back defeats this season. Earlier, they surrendered at the hands of Dubai Giants before losing the plot to Kandy Samp Army.

Batting first, Kandy Samp Army posted a competitive total of 141 for the loss of six wickets in their designated quota of 15 overs. Kandy Samp Army sought assistance from the likes of Irfan Pathan (30), Upul Tharanga (28), and Kevin O' Brien (27) as the trio pitched in with modest contributions, which was enough for the team to get to a pretty good total. Among the players, Irfan Pathan posed a threat to the opposition as he scored 30 off 14 balls including 1 four and 3 sixes at a strike rate of 214.29. 
On the other side of the coin, Mohammad Irfan tried his best to contain runs and even succeeded in picking three wickets, giving away 33 runs in 3 overs. In reply, Colombo Lions had the big guns in their arsenal to get the job done but unfortunately, the likes of Chris Gayle (22), Jesse Ryder (6), and Ross Taylor (20) couldn’t fire when it mattered.

Ben Dunk top-scored with 46 off 22 including 5 fours and 3 sixes. From having the game in their palm at 59/1 to losing the game by a considerable margin, Colombo looked like a team which couldn’t recover from the loss of Ben Dunk’s wicket. Kandy Samp Army’s bowler Mpofu kept the opposition in check as he accounted for three dismissals and his impressive spell helped the team restrict the opposition to 119 as Kandy Samp Army won the game by 22 runs.

Brief Scores:

Match 6:
New York Superstar Strikers - 185/6 (90 balls) - Lahiru Thirimanne - 90 (39); Isuru Udana - 3/34
Delhi Devils - 135/5 (90 balls) - Suresh Raina - 50 (35); Anureet Singh - 2/42

Match 7:
Kandy Samp Army - 141/6 (90 balls)  - Irfan Pathan - 30 (14); Mpofu - 3/34
Colombo Lions - 119/6 (90 balls) - Ben Dunk - 46 (22); Mohammad Irfan - 3/33