Srinagar: Konark Suryas Odisha (KSO) stole a heart-stopping one-run win against Toyam Hyderabad here on Monday night to book a berth in the final of Legends League Cricket (LLC) 2024.
KSO, newcomers in the league, will clash for the title against Southern Super Stars (SSS) on October 16. It will be a grudge match for Konark Suryas, having lost to SSS in Qualifier 1.
Chasing 157 to win Qualifier 2, Toyam Hyderabad needed 12 runs in the final over.
Skipper Irfan Pathan, who earlier made a valuable unbeaten 49, took the responsibility of delivering the final over. Despite Afghan Samiullah Shinwari smacking a 6, Irfan delivered an excellent restrictive over to stop Toyam at 155/6.
Asked to bat first, KSO were a modest 65/4 in 10 overs. Irishman Kevin O’Brien (50 off 39) and Irfan (49* off 35) then lifted Konark Suryas Odisha to a competitive 156/5 here at the Bakshi Stadium.
KSO bowlers then reduced Toyam Hyderabad to 62/4 in 10 overs, and looked to be on course for the final.
But then Rikki Clarke launched a calculated assault and threatened to shatter KSO dreams. The 43-year-old Englishman picked on left-arm spinner KP Appanna, smashing 26 runs in the 12th over, with 4 sixes.
Once Clarke fell for 67 off 43 balls (4×4, 5×6), Toyam Hyderabad lost the plot and fell agonisingly short in the end with skipper Gurkeerat Singh left unbeaten on 27.
Brief Scores
Konark Suryas Odisha 156/5 in 20 overs (Kevin O’Brien 50, Irfan Pathan 49 not out; Stuart Binny 2/19).
Toyam Hyderabad 155/6 in 20 overs (Rikki Clarke 67; Vinay Kumar 1/15, Irfan Pathan 1/10, Shahbaz Nadeem 1/21).
Result: Konark Suryas Odisha won by 1 run.
Final: Konark Suryas Odisha vs Southern Super Stars (Oct 16, Srinagar).