SSS VS KSO FINAL

... 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 they have 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 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 tha 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 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.

THE TITLE HEADS SOUTH! Southern Super Stars will have their name engraved on the coveted title. Good length around middle and leg, Pawan Negi tucks this in the gap through square leg, with no intention to hit this aerially. Takes one and seal the deal with a victory that helps them clinch the title. Martin Guptill did the damage with those two lusty hits but Pawan Negi takes the most important single.

Okay, it is confirmed. If the SSS get stranded on 13, we will have a toss to decide the winner!

Good length, angling into the batter, Chirag Gandhi prevails some sense and gently tucks this away to the non-throwing arm of Irfan Pathan at mid-wicket and sneaks one. Scores are level. A brilliant move to send Chirag Gandhi ahead of other dashers as he takes the risk-taking factor out of the equation.

Chirag Gandhi walks out at number 3, replacing Martin Guptill.

OUT! BOWLED! Killer blow in terms of a comeback by the bowler. Remember, you need only two wickets in a Super Over. So it is game on. A length ball, outside off, Martin Guptill looks to steer it through the off side, but the ball pitches, skids through, comes in with the angle, goes past the bat and knocks the off stump out of the ground! Southern Super Stars are 12/1 and need 2 runs still to win, from 3 balls!

OUT! BOWLED! Killer blow in terms of a comeback by the bowler. Remember, you need only two wickets in a Super Over. So it is game on. A length ball, outside off, Martin Guptill looks to steer it through the off side, but the ball pitches, skids through, comes in with the angle, goes past the bat and knocks the off stump out of the ground! Southern Super Stars are 12/1 and need 2 runs still to win, from 3 balls!