UAE Friendship Cup 2022, Match 5 Review: Phil Mustard's gem takes World Legends 11 to final

The World Legends 11 on Sunday, March 6, picked up their second successive victory in UAE Friendship Cup 2022 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the UAE, by hammering the Bollywood Kings by 59 runs. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, the World Legends 11 scored 139 for 3 in their allotted 10 overs and restricted the opponents to 80 for 5 in their 10.

The victory meant the World Legends 11 won all their three group matches and advanced to the final. The Kings, on the other hand, lost both their games of the day and returned home empty-handed. They were beaten by the Pakistan Legends by 43 runs on Saturday, March 5, and by the India Legends by just two runs on Sunday. The other finalists will now be determined in the match between the India Legends and the Pakistan Legends to be played on Monday, March 7. The final is also scheduled the same day.

Coming back to the third and final game of Sunday, the World Legends 11 continued with their impressive batting show against the Kings from just where they ended against the Pakistan Legends who they defeated by 15 runs in the previous game.

Opening the innings for the World Legends 11, former Zimbabwe cricketers Hamilton Masakadza (nine off nine balls) and Elton Chigumbura (25 off 12) gave them a good start. Later, Chamara Kapugedera (34 off 17) and Phil Mustard (53 not out off 17) hit the Kings bowlers all around to add 43 runs in less than three overs. After Kapugedera fell in the eighth over, World Legends 11 captain Ajantha Mendis (eight not out off six) joined Mustard to take the score to 139.

Mustard was merciless in his approach as he blasted seven sixes during his knock while Kapugedera and Chigumbura hit three and two, respectively.

Kings’ opening bowlers Shailendra Singh and Mudasir Bhat and Raja Bherwani took a wicket each.

Target too tall for Bollywood Kings

The target was always going to be a tall ask for a team of non-cricketers and the Kings lost both their openers Aftab Shivdasani (zero off two) and Jay Bhanushali (six off seven) quickly. The Bollywood Kings’ middle order comprising Bakhtiyar Irani (22 off 17), Bherwani (13 off 10) and Singh (16 not out off 14) scored some runs but they were never going to be enough. The Kings settled for 80 for 5 in 10 overs with former Zimbabwe spinner Graeme Cremer claiming three scalps for 13 runs. Syed Rasel and Masakadza took one wicket apiece.

Special Performers

Best Batter of the game: Phil Mustard

It was a day of Phil Mustard. In the previous game, he scored 33 runs off just 16 deliveries against the Pakistan Legends and added brisk 82 runs with Tillakaratne Dilshan for the opening wicket. In the match against the Bollywood Kings, the former England cricketer came out at No.4 and with even better impact.

Best Bowler of the game: Graeme Cremer

Cremer picked two wickets in as many deliveries in the fifth over and that pegged the Kings back. The spinner later picked another to ensure that the opponents were seriously restricted. He also took three wickets for five runs against the India Legends who are known to play spin better.