LLC 2022, Match 4 Review: Solomon Mire guides India Capitals to their first win of the season

India Capitals registered a big 78-run win against Bhilwara Kings in the fourth match of the Legends League Cricket 2022 tournament on Wednesday. This was Capitals' first win of this season after their defeat against Gujarat Giants in the opening match. Bhilwara Kings collapsed on just 120 runs while chasing a big 199-run target at the Ekana Cricket Stadium.

Bhilwara Kings' captain Irfan Pathan won the toss and decided to bowl first. His decision proved right as Tino Best dismissed Captials' skipper Gautam Gambhir on just nine runs in the third over. But Zimbabwe pair of Solomon Mire and Hamilton Masakadza dominated the innings with a big and explosive 105-run partnership for the second wicket. Yusuf Pathan removed Maskadza in the 12th over who smashed 48 runs off 30 balls. 

Solomon scored 82 runs off just 38 balls with the help of seven fours and six sixes before getting caught out on Yusuf's delivery in the 14th over. West Indies wicketkeeper batter Denesh Ramdin scored unbeaten 20 runs off 21 balls to help the Capitals post a big 198/5 total in 20 overs. For the Kings, Yusuf grabbed three wickets while conceding 28 runs in four overs and Tim Bresnan and Tino Best got wicket apiece.

Pankaj Singh and Pravin Tambe shine in India Capitals' win:

Bhilwara Kings lost their opener, Nick Compton, in the second over as veteran Indian pacer Pankaj Singh bowled out the English batter for just one run. Pankaj then dismissed wicketkeeper batter Naman Ojha in his next over to ensure the Capitals' early win. Ojha started well with four impressive fours but once again failed to convert a good start into a big knock.

English pacer Liam Plunkett removed Rajesh Bishnoi in the seventh over to keep the pressure on the Kings. The 50-year-old leg-spinner Pravin Tambe, who took three wickets in the last match, took a big wicket of Matt Prior in the next over. But it was Farveez Mahroof, who took the biggest wicket of the evening in form of Yusuf Pathan in the ninth over to take full control of the match. 

Irfan and in-form batter Tanmay Srivastava then managed to put a 38-run partnership for the fifth wicket to avoid an embarrassing defeat. Tambe broke that partnership with Irfan's wicket in the 15th over and then Capitals inning collapsed on just 120 runs. Srivastava remained unbeaten on 27 runs for Bhilwara Kings while Tambe, Paknaj, and Raja Bhatia took two wickets each for India Capitals. Both teams face each other again in their next fixture on Saturday, September 24 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.