SSS VS KSO FINAL

Right! That ends a longgggg final of the third edition of Legends League Cricket. Irrespective of how older these legends keep getting, we keep getting enthralled by their presence. Can anyone believe that PRAVIN TAMBE is in his 53rd year and still playing? Wow, puts us all to shame! And on that note, the organizers just announced that a month later, in November, the Legends League Cricket will return, this time in a T10 format! Can't wait to get that started, can we? But for now, we have to take your leave. There is plenty of cricket going on elsewhere, with the Women's World Cup reaching its business end, West Indies touring Sri Lanka, England touring Pakistan and New Zealand touring India! Wow. Perfect for a cricket fan to keep being engrossed. Please keep checking our tabs for your desired matchcentre. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

The trophy of Legends League Cricket, Season 3, is handed over to Kedar Jadhav and the champions, the SOUTHERN SUPER STARS are super pumped up! Pop, goes the confetti and it is a sight to behold. Fittingly deserved champions, the Super Stars really played like stars, dominating the league stage and despite a few blips towards the end of that league stage, played their best cricket when it mattered.

The Southern Super Stars squad get their winning medals. Skipper, KEDAR JADHAV, says he feels at the top of the world and he means it as they are at a high-altitude place. Acknowledges the role of support staff and coaching staff in this journey to the title and thanks them. Mentions that the audience deserved a final like this and they love a game like this rather than a one-sided contest. Reckons that going with Hamid Hassan was the easiest decision he had to make as his pace gave him an edge over the opponents on such tracks. Credits the coaching staff and mentions that Michael Bevan and his side have made all the plans and all they needed to do was execute those and is thankful for having such a staff around. Cheekily says the party will go long as most of them have an early flight to catch on Thursday and that gives them another reason to stay awake.

The Konark Suryas Odisha squad now gets its runners-up medals. Their skipper, IRFAN PATHAN, believes that his team had a chance in defending 13 in the Super Over, as anything over 10 in a SO is good enough. Feels unfortunate for Diwesh Pathania who could not execute his yorkers. On his brother Yusuf Pathan's heroics, Irfan calls it as one of the best knocks that he has ever played, comparing it to his entire career. Proudly says that despite not being able to win the trophy, the entire team can keep its head high. Adds that despite his sombre mood, he would still like to watch his brother's knock again. On asking what keeps the Pathan brothers going, Irfan says that it comes from their blood. Details that his surname, Pathan, means a warrior and both will keep fighting for their country or now, for their current team and give their 100 percent. Cheekily says that he personally likes to do broadcasting, doing commentary but whenever he gets a chance to play, he will, hoping that the Pathan brothers will play for another 5 years. The skipper still cannot believe that retired players will have a league of their own and thanks the fans in Srinagar and everywhere else coming in full numbers to support the players. Has a word of congratulations for the Southern Super Stars for playing outstanding cricket.

Southern Super Stars' MARTIN GUPTILL HAS BEEN ADJUDGED AS THE LEGEND OF THE TOURNAMENT, for being consistent with the bat throughout. 339 - the most runs scored ever in an edition of the tournament, an average of 42 and a strike rate of 165. Guptill says that he would take home that Surat wicket as that was really flat. Mentions that some of his innings were good but the one he played here is more valuable and credits Hamilton Masakadza for the way he played in the final and got them to a solid total. Closes by saying that he has had amazing time here and feels lucky enough to get some out of the middle of his bat again.

Southern Super Stars' HAMILTON MASAKADZA HAS BEEN NAMED AS THE LEGEND OF THE FINAL, for his blistering 83 with the bat in an innings which seems like a day ago! First and foremost, sends commiserations to skipper Kedar Jadhav, who lost his father at the start of the tournament. Is happy to be able to contribute to the team's cause. On him doing so well in Legends League Cricket, Masakadza feels that shorter boundaries have helped him a lot. Cheekily gives everyone a stat that in all 3 editions of the Legends League Cricket, he has finished on the champions' side! Ends by saying that being as an Impact Player is something that he has made it his own, detailing that he wasn't a regular in the first edition but for the last couple of years, he has made it his own. Cheekily says that it allows him to take rest while the other young players are fielding!

The umpires and other match officials receive their medallions. Great job throughout the tournament in tough conditions.

... THE PRESENTATION ...

That was not the presentation. It will be up in a while. Please stay tuned...

Southern Super Stars' coach, MICHAEL BEVAN is up for some words. Bevan says that they had a great group and had a good auction as well. Mentions that the guys did the job well under pressure and played well throughout the season. Reckons that he wasn't really happy in the last few overs and they never really thought that the game was done while Yusuf Pathan was out in the middle but they were ahead for the majority of the contest. Informed that they knew that Hamilton Masakadza couldn't bat as the Impact player could not participate in a Super Over and they were clear on what to do and decided to send Chirag Gandhi out in the middle.

SHREEVATS GOSWAMI is up for a chat now. Admits that at one stage, they should have got to 180 but 160 turned out to be enough as dew did not arrive in heavy quantity. Praises Yusuf Pathan for his blitzkrieg and giving the crowd its money's worth. On Guptill's knock in the Super Over, Shreevats agrees that he (Goswami) was nervous and remembers Jimmy Neesham's tweet post the 2019 ODI World Cup final, which read that cricket is not for the faint hearted. Confirms that Pawan Negi's deliveries did turn in that 19th over but credits Yusuf Pathan for clearing the boundaries pretty easily.

MARTIN GUPTILL's up next. Guptill says that he has the experience of playing the Super Over and it feels great to be on the right side. Mentions that it was just one of those topsy-turvy games where both teams had their chances and to close that with a Super Over fits it to perfection. Is happy that the slog worked for him and his side.

PAWAN NEGI is up for a chat with Nikhil Chopra. Negi says that the 20th over was very crucial in the second innings and praises Chaturanga de Silva for bringing it to a tie. On his own bowling in the 19th over against Yusuf Pathan, Pawan says that he was just trying to turn the ball away from Yusuf but because Pathan had got set in the middle and used to the pitch, he kept finding the boundary. On the strike change in the Super Over, as Negi was initially supposed to take strike, PN says that when he and Guptill came out to bat, Shahbaz Nadeem was supposed to bowl the Super Over for Odisha. But then, Irfan changed the plan and threw the ball to Pathania and the batters accordingly changed their positions.

HAMID HASSAN is first up for a chat. Hamid says that he couldn't believe he would bowl the Super Over. Mentions that too much energy was needed to bowl the SO. Thanks Martin Guptill for those two huge sixes as that released the pressure. Mentions that the first ball of the Super Over being a no ball was risky and it got him under pressure but he kept his nerves well in the end. Adds that this feeling of winning the LLC is unreal and he is delighted to win the title.

Almost the story of the tournament for Odisha in the final. They started the tournament badly, winning just 1 out of their first 4 games, but found a way to turn things around and made it to the final. In the final too, they fought till the very end, giving it their all, but sadly, they end as runners up. The two Pathans give each other a hug and they nearly had it in their basket. Nearly. But that is the nature of the game. Plenty of interviews coming up...

Let's look at Konark Suryas Odisha now. They were dead and buried. But they came back from the dead and got the match within their grasp. Yusuf Pathan was standing like the Great Wall Of China which could not be broken. But he ran out of gas in the 20th over and failed to take his team over the line. In the Super Over, he was just too tired to continue with his big hits from the run chase. A match comes to my mind - The 5th ODI between South Africa and India at Centurion in 2011. India were chasing 251 for a series win and ended up 16 short. Out of those 234 made by India, Yusuf Pathan made 105, nearly stealing the game away from the Proteas, even getting involved in a 100-run partnership for the 9th wicket with Zaheer Khan - but in vain. The next best was Parthiv Patel's 38, with no one else even reaching 15, barring Zaheer. Even here, in Srinagar, the Centurion story gets repeated, albeit the match did get dragged into a Super Over.

Looking back at the game, it can be a debate as to who actually lost the game from a winning position. Southern Super Stars had the game dead and buried and should have won comfortably. But then, they came unstuck against Yusuf Pathan who just kept hitting sixes for fun. Earlier in the first innings, the Super Stars threw away their position of strength at 145/2, with 17 balls left, to finish on a meek-looking 164. Hamilton Masakadza's 83 had got them on track to what looked like 200 at one stage, but fell considerably short.

Normally, two boundaries are enough to get a good amount of runs in a Super Over. And Martin Guptill just set the tone on the first 2 balls itself - smoking them for two sixes. He got out after that, but the damage was already done. Spare a thought for Diwesh Pathania - when he was bowling in the first innings, the ball was dry. And when he got the ball in the second innings of the Super Over, it was still dry but he could not afford a single mistake. One bad ball - dispatched. Second ball, length missed - dispatched. Game over, despite the wicket.

What a great game of cricket. Irfan Pathan looks distraught but a big shout needs to be given to his players for not giving up till the last ball. Yes, it was not a team effort but eventually, you look at the result. Maybe, they could have won it with Yusuf at the crease and 7 needed in the 20th over. But they messed it up and in the Super Over, despite scoring 13 runs, came second.

Phew. The game is done. It is not a tie. The table toppers have won the third edition of Legends League Cricket. They should have won it in the normal stage itself but they choked against Yusuf Pathan. Eventually, they got a second chance and they grabbed it.