ICL: Match Report of the Final Match

Chennai Superstars is the first 2007/08 ICL Twenty20 championship. They got win over Chandigarh Lions by 12 runs. Today was the final match of the inaugural ICL Twenty20 League’s first season between Chandigarh Lions and Chennai Superstars. After 3^rd place qualifying round between Kolkata Tigers and Delhi Jets, final round of the first season started in the stadium at 18:00 local time and 12:30 GMT. The final match of Chennai vs Chandigarh took place at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Panchkula. As it was the final match of rebel ICL’s first season and it had been announced that winning team will get 1 million dollar for prizing money so, lot of people came to the stadium to see the match live. Pakistani fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed (Chennai Superstars) who haul 4 wickets awarded man of the match prize and Ian Harvey (Chennai Superstars) who scored highest 36 runs for his team awarded Man of the tournament. Four Bollywood stars also came to see the match.

ICL authority started their work with lot of uncertainty. They launched their tournament on 30 November, 2007. However, they have finished their first season successfully without any major problem. Six teams based on six big cities took part in this tournament. Participant teams of this tournament were Chandigarh Lions, Kolkata Tigers, Delhi Jets, Chennai Superstars, Mumbai Champs and Hyderabad Heroes. Each team consists of 18 or 19 players including 5 for 6 foreign star players. Most of you already know that it was the first tournament of ICL. BCCI officials didn’t miss any stone unturned to make the ICL unsuccessful. Rather they have made a tournament similar to ICL named IPL (Indian Premier League).

Ahead of the final match, fans of cricket game were excited to see the winning team who will get the million dollar prize. So, Chandigarh Lions vs Chennai Superstars final match was called million dollar match. No doubt, it is a huge amount of money and even any international cricket tournament can not offer such a big amount to the winning team. After winning the toss, Chandigarh Lions captain CL Cairns elected to bowl first. They just won the toss only except nothing. Batting first after losing the toss, Chennai Superstars made 155/8 in their stipulated 20 overs. Chennai Superstars opening pair Ian Harvey and Ganapathi Vignesh started a destructive innings from first. They just lost their 1^st wicket of Ganapathi Vignesh in 20 runs. Then Ian Harvey made a 43 runs partnership with Chris Read. This pair set Chennai Superstars in a chasing form. Unfortunately Chris Read got run out by Dinesh Mongia. Then Harvey made pair with Russel Arnold. But they couldn’t make a big pair as because Russel Arnold got out in the ball of Dinesh Mongia giving a catch to Chetan Sharma. Hemang Badani came to make pair and scored 20 runs in equal balls before getting out by Tuffey. Because of two Australian players, opener Ian Harvey scored 36 off 31 balls and captain Stuart Law scored 34 off 28 balls, Chennai Superstars could make chasing score against Chandigarh Lions.

Chasing 156 for victory, Chandigarh Lions could manage 143 for 8 in 20 overs. Chandigarh couldn’t become the first ICL Twenty20 Championship being defeated against Chennai Superstars. TP Singh was the highest run scorer in his team. He scored 35 runs off 33 balls with four boundaries and 1 six. Pakistani fast bowlers Shabbir Ahmed got hat trick. He is the only bowler in this tournament who got hat trick. Shabeer first dismissed opener Hamish Marshall (3) having him caught, then bowled dangerous looking Dinesh Mongia (21) and finally trapped Chetan Sharma before the wicket to complete his hat-trick. He was also highest wicket holder in final match. He took four wickets in 4 overs giving 23 runs. For his impressive performance he got man of the match award.

Winning team of this tournament got Rs 3.9 crore where runners-up team pocketed Rs 1.9 crore. Australian former player Chennai Superstar opening batsman got man of the tournament award.

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