LLC 2022, Match 8 Review: Dilhara Fernando's four-fer helps Manipal Tigers trump Bhilwara Kings

Manipal Tigers registered their first win of the ongoing Legends League Cricket as they triumphed over Irfan Pathan's Bhilwara Kings in the eighth match at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday, September 26.

Bhilwara Kings' chase met with a rocky start as Morne van Wyk was dismissed cheaply in the second over. But the experienced pair of Matt Prior and William Porterfield kept the Tigers at bay, consolidating after the early setback and put up a brisk partnership for the second wicket.

The elegant batters fell in successive overs afterwards, handing Manipal Tigers the momentum after the powerplay. The veteran off-spin duo of Muthiah Muralidaran and Harbhajan Singh tightened the screws in the middle overs, stifling the run flow. The famed siblings Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan then took center stage and brought the Kings to the cusp of victory from an improbable position.

The slow scoring rate in the middle overs meant that the Pathan brothers were left with a stiff mountain to climb in the death overs. The duo played some of their trademark hits in the slog overs, but some tidy bowling at the death saw the Manipal Tigers prevail in the thrilling encounter.

Manipal Tigers stuttered after a massive opening stand

Earlier in the match, Bhilwara Kings opted to field first after skipper Irfan Pathan won the toss. His decision backfired for the Kings as the Manipal Tigers ' opening batting duo of Jesse Ryder and Tatenda Taibu dispatched the hapless bowlers to all parts of the ground.

The hard-hitting pair added 109 runs for the opening stand before they were sent packing by Yusuf Pathan in the 11th over.

Pradeep Sahu did not trouble the scorers after being dismissed for a two-ball duck before Corey Anderson, and Mohammad Kaif steadied the innings in the middle overs with a 57-run stand. The partnership was crucial in Manipal Tigers posting a healthy total of 175 runs in their allocated 20 overs.

Tino Best was the pick of the bowlers for Kings as the former West Indies pacer claimed three wickets, conceding just 20 runs in three overs. He found ample support from former India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, who recorded figures of 2/25 in his spell.