Image: India beat West Indies by 5 wickets in 13.2 overs / © NDTV Sports
On July 29, 2025, the India Champions locked horns with the West Indies Champions in an exhilarating 15th match of the World Championship of Legends at Grace Road, Leicester. The Indian side put on a masterclass, chasing down 145 runs in a mere 13.2 overs to clinch a five-wicket victory. The game was a rollercoaster of big hits, tight bowling, and electric moments that had the crowd roaring. India’s polished performance outclassed its opponents, showcasing its depth, aggression, and finesse.
Sent in to bat after losing the toss, the West Indies Champions found themselves on the back foot early, limping to 144 for 9 in their 20 overs. The innings kicked off with trouble as India’s bowlers came out swinging. Chris Gayle, the T20 giant known for his blistering starts, looked ready to unleash chaos but was undone in the second over. Varun Aaron’s searing pace sent his stumps cartwheeled, dismissing him for 9 off 7 balls after a lone six soared into the stands.
Aaron wasn’t done, striking again in the same over to remove Chadwick Walton for a two-ball duck, caught sharply by Robin Uthappa at slip. With the score at 14 for 2, the West Indies were wobbling. Lendl Simmons, tasked with steadying the ship, scratched around for 2 runs off 11 balls before Piyush Chawla’s crafty leg-spin bowled him in the sixth over. William Perkins lasted just three balls, falling for a duck to Chawla’s deceptive googly, leaving the West Indies in tatters at 32 for 4 by the powerplay’s end.
Dwayne Smith offered a brief respite, grafting 20 runs off 21 balls with a couple of fours and a six. His steady hand kept the scoreboard moving, but Stuart Binny snuffed out his resistance in the ninth over, with Gurkeerat Singh Mann pouching a catch in the deep. The middle order crumbled under pressure. Dwayne Bravo, usually a game-changer, struggled for fluency, managing just 9 off 20 balls before Pawan Negi had him caught in the outfield in the 13th over, leaving the score at 72 for 6. Kieron Pollard stood tall amid the ruins, blasting an unbeaten 74 off 43 balls.
His knock was a fireworks display, packed with 4 fours and 3 sixes, as he hammered boundaries and cleared the ropes in the death overs to drag the total past 140. Ashley Nurse chipped in with 8 off 7 balls, including a six, but Chawla trapped him lbw in the 16th over. Dave Mohammed fell for a four-ball duck, caught off Binny’s bowling, and Nikita Miller’s 3 off 2 balls ended with a razor-sharp run-out by Binny and Aaron. Sheldon Cottrell hung on for a not-out zero as the innings closed with 9 wickets down.
India’s bowlers were razor-sharp. Piyush Chawla was the star, weaving magic with 3 wickets for 18 runs in 4 overs, dismissing Simmons, Perkins, and Nurse at crucial moments. His mix of googlies and sliders left batters clueless. Varun Aaron’s fiery spell bagged 2 wickets for 40 runs, with early strikes setting the tone. Stuart Binny chipped in with 2 for 17, while Pawan Negi’s lone wicket of Bravo came for 20 runs. Abhimanyu Mithun and Harbhajan Singh didn’t take wickets but bowled stingy spells, leaking just 22 and 16 runs, respectively, to choke the West Indies’ scoring.
The fielders were on point, with sharp catches and a clinical run-out piling on the pressure. The West Indies received a boost from 19 extras, including 8 byes, 3 leg-byes, and 8 wides, but losing wickets at regular intervals prevented them from building a daunting total. Pollard’s lone hand was the highlight, but early blows and broken partnerships left them with a below-par score on a pitch that favored batting. India’s bowlers set the stage for a straightforward chase, keeping the West Indies on a tight leash.
Chasing 145, the India Champions unleashed a batting onslaught, racing to 148 for 5 in just 13.2 overs to seal a commanding five-wicket win. Openers Robin Uthappa and Shikhar Dhawan came out with intent, setting a cracking pace. Uthappa, the wicketkeeper, smashed 8 off 7 balls, including a monstrous six over midwicket, but fell in the fourth over, caught by Lendl Simmons off Sheldon Cottrell’s bowling. Dhawan was all class, stroking 25 off 18 balls with 2 fours and a six.
His silky cover drives and a lofted beauty over extra cover kept the runs flowing, but Dwayne Smith got him in the fifth over, caught by Chadwick Walton. At 36 for 2, India were cruising, but the West Indies clawed back. Gurkeerat Singh Mann, sent up the order, scored 7 off 8 balls with a boundary but was caught by Dwayne Bravo off Smith’s bowling in the seventh over. Suresh Raina, known for his flair, made 7 off 7 balls before Bravo caught and bowled him in the eighth over, leaving India at 52 for 4.
The game swung decisively with a blazing partnership between Stuart Binny and Yuvraj Singh. Binny, at number five, played a sensational unbeaten knock of 50 off 21 balls, hammering 3 fours and 4 sixes. His clean, powerful hitting, especially against Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Smith, lit up the stadium. A massive six over long-on and pinpoint boundary shots kept the chase on track. Yuvraj, the captain, played a stylish supporting role, scoring 21 off 11 balls with a four and a six.
His elegant drives and a lofted shot over mid-off troubled the bowlers, but Bravo trapped him lbw in the 12th over. With the score at 118 for 5, Yusuf Pathan strode in and put the chase to bed with a brutal, unbeaten 21 off 7 balls. His knock, featuring a four and 2 sixes, was pure muscle, clearing the boundary with ease. Pathan and Binny’s partnership powered India across the line with 40 balls to spare, making the chase look like a walk in the park.
The West Indies’ bowlers had no answer to India’s firepower. Dwayne Bravo was their best, snaring 2 wickets for 47 runs in 3.2 overs, dismissing Raina and Yuvraj with smart variations. Dwayne Smith also grabbed 2 wickets but gave away 27 runs in 3 overs. Sheldon Cottrell took 1 for 33, while Fidel Edwards was taken apart, leaking 39 runs in 3 overs without a wicket. India stormed to 48 runs in the powerplay, laying a rock-solid foundation.
The West Indies’ fielders couldn’t keep up, and 9 extras, 2 leg-byes, 6 wides, and a no-ball didn’t help their cause. India’s batting depth, with Binny’s unbeaten fifty and Pathan’s explosive cameo, steamrolled the opposition. The chase was a showcase of India’s attacking prowess, as they bounced back from early losses to dominate the game. Binny’s aggression and Pathan’s finishing flair ensured a crushing victory, leaving the West Indies shell-shocked on a night when India’s batters ruled supreme.
Piyush Chawla’s spell of 3 wickets for 18 runs in 4 overs was the match’s turning point. The leg-spinner struck gold in the sixth over, dismissing Lendl Simmons for 2 and William Perkins for a duck, leaving the West Indies reeling at 32 for 4. He struck again in the 16th over, trapping Ashley Nurse lbw for 8, breaking a growing stand with Kieron Pollard. Chawla’s bag of tricks with googlies, sliders, and flighted balls left batters groping.
His stingy economy rate of 4.50 was remarkable on a pitch that favored batsmen, keeping the West Indies’ scoring in check. By removing key players at critical moments, he ensured they couldn’t gain traction, capping them at 144 for 9. Chawla’s crafty bowling set the tone for India’s comfortable chase, making the target achievable. This spell was the game’s defining moment, earning it TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game for tilting the match firmly in India’s favor.
Yusuf Pathan’s blistering unbeaten 21 off 7 balls made him the undisputed hero of the match. Walking in at 118 for 5, with India needing quick runs to wrap up the chase, Pathan unleashed a barrage of power-hitting. His knock, featuring four and 2 sixes at a strike rate of 300.00, was a spectacle of brute force. Towering shots off Dwayne Bravo and Fidel Edwards sailed into the stands, sealing the chase with 40 balls to spare.
Alongside Stuart Binny’s unbeaten fifty, Pathan’s cameo turned a potentially tight finish into a cakewalk. His fearless approach, picking the perfect balls to attack, was the knockout punch India needed. Pathan’s brief but devastating knock was the cherry on top of India’s dominant display, earning him TCNI’s Hero of the Day for his match-winning fireworks on a night when India’s batting shone brightest.