India Tigers chased down 168 in just 15.4 overs to beat India Captains by 4 wickets in Match 8 of the Legends League Cricket 2026 at Haldwani. Notably, this was a 19-over game due to a technical issue with the ground. Jeevan Mendis earned Player of the Match for his match-winning unbeaten 42 off 30 balls.
Batting first, India Captains posted a strong 167/9 in 19 overs, powered by Ritik Sharma’s stunning 65 off 35 balls (4 fours, 5 sixes). However, a dramatic collapse saw four wickets fall at the score of 130 within just four deliveries, thanks to Pawan Negi’s brilliant 3/14 in 4 overs that included two maiden overs.
In reply, India Tigers raced to the target despite losing 6 wickets along the way. A massive 42 extras (including 35 wides) from the India Captains bowlers made life considerably easier. Kuldeep Hooda (32 off 20) and Jeevan Mendis (42 not out off 30) put on an unbroken 88-run sixth-wicket partnership in 48 balls to seal the chase with 20 balls to spare.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India Captains vs India Tigers, 8th Match, Legends League Cricket 2026 |
| Venue | Indira Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Haldwani |
| Result | India Tigers won by 4 wickets |
| India Captains | 167/9 (19 overs) |
| India Tigers | 173/6 (15.4 overs) |
| Player of the Match | Jeevan Mendis (42* off 30, 3×4, 2×6) |
| Note | 19-over game due to technical issue with the ground |
First Innings Highlights
Here are key moments from 1st Innings:
Explosive Start Despite Early Wickets
India Captains lost Anup Ahlawat in the very first over, caught by Milinda Siriwardana off Akalanka Ganegama for a duck at 12/1 in the 1st over. However, Sanyam Arora came in and smashed a rapid 15 off just 5 balls (2 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 300.00 before Ganegama struck again, having him caught by Amit Paunikar at 38/2 in the 3rd over. Despite losing two early wickets, the India Captains still raced to 68 runs in the powerplay, setting a fast tempo from the outset.
Ritik Sharma’s 65 Off 35 Balls Takes Centre Stage
Mizba Alam and Ritik Sharma steadied the innings with a 37-run partnership in 26 balls for the third wicket. Alam contributed 23 off 22 (2 fours, 1 six) before Pawan Negi bowled him at 75/3 in the 8th over. From there, Ritik Sharma shifted gears entirely. He added 55 runs in 34 balls with Aniruddha Joshi (8 off 14) for the fourth wicket, taking the score well past 100. Sharma’s 65 off 35 balls featured four fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 185.71. It was comfortably the best innings of the match and kept India Captains on track for a big total.
Four Wickets at 130: Negi’s Devastating Spell
Then came one of the most dramatic passages of play in LLC 2026 so far. Ritik Sharma was run out by Akalanka Ganegama at 130/4 in the 13th over. On the very next ball, Aniruddha Joshi was also run out (Jakati/Paunikar) at 130/5. Then Pawan Negi bowled Shailesh Bhondekar for a duck just one delivery later at 130/6. Two balls after that, Negi struck again, bowling Faheem Ahmad for another duck at 130/7. Four wickets fell at the exact same score of 130 within just four deliveries across overs 13 to 13.4. Negi finished with exceptional figures of 3/14 in 4 overs including two maiden overs at an economy of just 3.50.
After that stunning collapse, Imtiaz Ahmed (22 not out off 17, 1 four, 1 six) and Veer Pratap Singh (12 off 14, 2 fours) added 24 runs in 25 balls for the eighth wicket to push the total past 150. Jeevan Mendis then picked up two quick wickets at the end, removing Veer Pratap Singh (st Paunikar) and Akshay Wakhare on consecutive deliveries at 154/8 and 154/9 in overs 17.5 and 17.6. India Captains eventually finished on 167/9 thanks to an unbeaten 13-run last-wicket stand between Ahmed and Umer Amhad.
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Ritik Sharma | 65 runs (35 balls, 4×4, 5×6) |
| Best Bowler | Pawan Negi | 4-2-14-3 |
Second Innings Highlights
Here are key moments from 2nd Innings:
Fast Start Before a Middle-Order Wobble
India Tigers lost Tillakaratne Dilshan early, run out by Ritik Sharma for 4 off 5 at 13/1 in the 1st over. However, Amitoze Singh and Samit Patel launched a fierce counter-attack, adding 45 runs in just 21 balls for the second wicket. Patel struck 30 off 16 balls with five fours and a six at a strike rate of 187.50 before Sanyam Arora bowled him at 58/2 in the 5th over. Similarly, Amitoze Singh played a quickfire 17 off 9 balls (4 fours) before Aniruddha Joshi had him stumped by Faheem Ahmad at 80/3 in the 7th over. The India Tigers scored 68 in the powerplay, matching India Captains’ first-innings powerplay total exactly.
Three Quick Wickets Put the Chase in Doubt
Just two balls after Amitoze’s departure, Aniruddha Joshi struck again, bowling Milinda Siriwardana for 4 at 81/4 in the 7th over. Shortly after, Shadab Jakati fell for just 1 off 5, caught by Mizba Alam off Akshay Wakhare in the 8th over. Consequently, India Tigers had slumped from 58/2 to roughly 82/5 in just over 2 overs, losing three wickets for barely any runs. At that stage, the chase looked in serious trouble with 86 still needed and only five wickets remaining. Joshi was the pick of the IC bowlers with 2/43 in 4 overs, though his 15 wides significantly inflated the run count.
Hooda and Mendis Finish the Job in Style
This is where Kuldeep Hooda and Jeevan Mendis took over completely. Their 88-run unbroken partnership in 48 balls for the sixth wicket was the decisive stand of the match. Hooda smashed 32 off 20 balls with two fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 160.00. Meanwhile, Mendis was equally destructive, finishing unbeaten on 42 off 30 balls with three fours and two sixes at 140.00. Together, they made the chase look effortless.
Veer Pratap Singh eventually bowled Hooda at 165/6 in the 16th over, but by then only 3 runs were needed. Mendis and Amit Paunikar (1 not out) wrapped things up quickly. Additionally, the India Captains bowlers gifted a staggering 42 extras, including 35 wides, which made the chase significantly easier. Aniruddha Joshi alone conceded 15 wides in his 4 overs, while Shailesh Bhondekar leaked 9 wides in 2 overs. Ultimately, India Tigers cruised to 173/6 in 15.4 overs, chasing down the target with 20 balls to spare for a comfortable fourth-wicket win.
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Jeevan Mendis | 42* runs (30 balls, 3×4, 2×6) |
| Best Bowler | Aniruddha Joshi | 4-0-43-2 |
