WCL 2025: India vs. Australia
Callum Ferguson’s composure and excellent batting helpedustralia Champions register a thrilling four-wicket win over India Champions in the 10th match of the World Championship of Legends WCL 2025 played at Headingley, Leeds. The Australian captain turned the match around while chasing a target of 204 with an unbeaten 70 off just 38 balls, with the winning runs coming just one ball before the end of the match.
Earlier, put in to bat, the Indian Champions scored a mammoth 203 for 4. Veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan led the team to victory with a brilliant innings of 91* off 60 balls with the help of 12 sharp fours and a six. He got good support from Robin Uthappa at the top of the order, who set the tone early with a 21-ball 37. But Yusuf Pathan’s explosive innings–an unbeaten 52 off just 23 balls with four sixes–took India past 200 and made them favourite by the half-time.
Australia got off to a fiery start, with Chris Lynn scoring 25 off 10 balls before falling to Harbhajan Singh. The Indian offspinner’s early wicket and Piyush Chawla’s tight bowling saw Australia crumble to 65/4 after eight overs. Shaun Marsh, Ben Dunk and Darcy Short all fell cheaply, giving the Indian bowlers the upper hand.
Daniel Christian revived the innings with a gutsy 39 off 28 balls, but his dismissal in the 17th over left Australia needing 49 off the last 24 balls. It was then that Ferguson took the match in his hands. The experienced right-arm bowler used his pace at the right time, applied pressure on the wrong deliveries and skillfully rotated the strike.
His partnership with Rob Quiney (16* off 8 balls) proved to be decisive. The duo kept the scoreboard ticking and hit a flurry of boundaries in the 18th and 19th overs, leaving just 13 runs needed off the final over. Under immense pressure, Ferguson kept his composure and sealed the match with a boundary off the last ball, taking the innings to 207/6 in 19.5 overs.
While India’s spin duo Chawla (3/36) and Harbhajan (2/33) caused problems, the pace bowling also failed to maintain discipline. Vinay Kumar and Siddarth Kaul both struggled with accuracy and conceded crucial runs in the final overs. Fielding lapses, including dropped catches, added to India’s woes.
With this win, the Australian champions kept their hopes alive in the tournament by showcasing their tenacity and depth. For India, it was a lesson in missed chances and the small margins that have become the hallmark of T20 cricket.
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