Tag: Australia Champions

BIRMINGHAM: South Africa Champions edge past Australia Champions in a last-ball thriller to reach the World Championship of Legends  (WCL) 2025 final here at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Chasing a 187-run target, Australia Champions fought hard but eventually fell one run short, scoring 185-7 in their 20 overs.

Australia Champions started strongly in pursuit of the target, putting up a 45-run stand in just 4.3 overs. Chris Lynn was the core aggressor, scoring 35 off 20 balls with the aid of four boundaries and a six.

However, Wayne Parnell provided the much-needed breakthrough, breaking the partnership with Lynn’s wicket.

Shaun Marsh, on the other hand, continued on his merry way and stitched together a crucial stand with D’Arcy Short to steady the Australia champions in the chase.

The southpaw made 25 from 17, striking a six and two fours before getting dismissed as Australia Champions were reduced to 71-2 in eight overs.

With the next wicket, Ben Dunk  (12 off 11 balls) falling in the 12th over, Australia Champions needed a partnership, and they found one with Short and Daniel Christian stitching together a 33-run stand.

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Both batters kept Australia afloat in the chase; however, D’Arcy Short was removed after scoring 33 off 29 deliveries.

South Africa Champions fought back in the last stage of the innings, taking wickets at crucial intervals to jolt the opposition’s progress.

The game eventually turned out to be a cliff hanger with Australia Champions requiring 14 off the last over to seal a spot in the WCL 2025 final.

Rob Quiney struck Wayne Parnell for a six on the first ball of the over to balance the equation; however, he and Christian both failed to manage to hit a boundary on the next few balls.

As a result, three runs were required from one ball and set batter Daniel Christian on the crease.

He struck the ball down the ground, and it looked like a definite two runs, but a brilliant throw from AB De Villiers at the bowler’s end resulted in a run out and sealed a memorable win for South Africa Champions.

Earlier, Morne van Wyk and JJ Smuts’ knocks propelled South Africa Champions to a strong total against Australia Champions.

Opting to bat first, South Africa Champions posted 186-8 in their allocated 20 overs.

The Proteas started poorly in the crucial encounter, losing their inform batter AB de Villiers only in the second over. He made six from four balls as South Africa Champions were 13-1.

However, following the early dismissal, Morne van Wyk and JJ Smuts partnered for a 112-run stand. Both batters notched up half-centuries and powered South Africa Champions to 124 in only 12 overs.

Daniel Christian provided the Australia Champions with a much-needed breakthrough, removing Smuts, who made 57 runs from 41 balls, striking eight fours and a six.

After a solid platform from the top-order, the Proteas failed to capitalize in the latter half of the innings, losing wickets at a crucial time.

Morne van Wyk top-scored for South Africa Champions with 76 from 35 balls, peppered with seven fours and five maximums.

For Australia Champions, Peter Siddle starred with the ball, taking a four-wicket haul for 30 runs in his quota of four overs.

READ: South Africa win toss against Australia in WCL 2025 semi-final

BIRMINGHAM: South Africa Champions have won the toss and opted to bat first against Australia Champions in the World Championship of Legends  (WCL) 2025 semi-final here at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Playing XIs

South Africa Champions: AB de Villiers(c), JJ Smuts, Jacques Rudolph, Sarel Erwee, Jean-Paul Duminy, Henry Davids, Morne van Wyk(w), Wayne Parnell, Hardus Viljoen, Aaron Phangiso, Duanne Olivier

Australia Champions: Shaun Marsh, Chris Lynn, D Arcy Short, Ben Dunk(w), Daniel Christian, Callum Ferguson, Ben Cutting, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Peter Siddle, Brett Lee(c), Steve O’Keefe

Head To Head 

South Africa Champions have faced each other twice in the tournament’s history, and on both occasions, the teams have secured dominant victories.

In 2024, during the inaugural edition of the tournament, the Australia champions emerged victorious after winning the game by 104 runs.

In the WCL 2025, South Africa champions thrashed the Australian champions by 95 runs.

South Africa Champions: 1 Australia Champions: 1

During the league stage fixtures, South Africa Champions remained in second position on the points table with four wins out of five games. In contrast, the Australia Champions finished in third position after winning two games.

In the league stage encounter held on 27 July, the Proteas comprehensively defeated the Aussies by a 95-run margin, thanks to AB de Villiers masterclass.

READ: Pakistan advance to WCL 2025 final following India’s withdrawal

LEICESTER: Former Australia pacer John Hastings had a bizarre outing in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, bowling an 18-ball over that helped Pakistan Champions coast to victory at Grace Road on Tuesday.

Chasing just 75 for victory, Pakistan openers Sharjeel Khan (32*) and Sohaib Maqsood (28*) made light work of the modest target, but the headline moment came when Hastings came on to bowl his first over.

The 39-year-old sent down 12 wides and a no-ball in an over that saw him switch sides, try both over and round the wicket, and still struggle to find control.

His over included five legal deliveries, with the rest all extras, mostly wide balls that were well outside the reach of the batters.

Earlier, Pakistan had bundled out Australia for just 74 in 11.5 overs after electing to field.

Sohail Tanvir and Sohail Khan removed the openers before Saeed Ajmal ran through the middle and lower order with an outstanding spell of 3.5-0-16-6. Imad Wasim provided able support with 2-11 in three overs.

Australia’s innings never really took off. Ben Dunk (26) and Callum Ferguson (10) were the only batters to reach double figures. Such was the collapse that Australia lost their last eight wickets for just 25 runs in 39 balls.

In the second innings, John Hastings, who had come on as a substitute for Chris Lynn, was handed the ball when Pakistan needed only 20 runs in seven overs.

But the over turned into a comedy of errors, including five consecutive wides to start and three more later after he tried switching to round the wicket.

The over ended with Pakistan comfortably reaching the target.

Hastings’ outing was best summed up by the numbers: 18 balls, 12 wides, 1 no-ball, and just 5 legal deliveries.

READ: Pakistan likely to miss out on cricket event at 2028 Olympics: reports

LIECESTER: Saeed Ajmal six-wickets led Pakistan Champions to a dominant victory over Australia Champions in the 14th fixture of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here at Grace Road on Tuesday.

Chasing a modest 75-run target, Pakistan eased past Australia in only 7.5 overs, without losing any wickets.

Pakistan’s openers started strong in pursuit of the target as they scored 17 from the opening three overs. Sharjeel Khan and Sohaib Maqsood looked in good touch as they crisped a couple of boundaries.

In the fourth and fifth over of the innings, the runners-up of the last edition took the attack to the Australian bowlers, scoring 10 off each over.

Pakistan Champions ended their powerplay on 45-0 with Sharjeel Khan scoring 26 off 18 balls, whereas Sohaib Maqsood made 19 from 18.

The victory was evident for the Pakistan Champions; however, the Australia Champions bizarrely ended their match.

John Hastings bowled 13 wides and one no-ball in the eighth over, eventually resulting in a comprehensive victory for Pakistan Champions.

With this victory, the Pakistan Champions finished at the top of the points table with four wins out of five games.

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Put into bat first, Australia’s Champions batting line faltered and were bundled out for 74 runs only in 11.5 overs.

Pakistan Champions jolted Australia Champions with early blows, reducing them to 17-2 in 2.4 overs.

Shaun Marsh was caught by Saeed Ajmal off Sohail Khan’s bowling in the second over, after scoring only seven. Chris Lynn, who made six runs, was sent back to the pavilion in the next over.

After early hiccups, Darcy Short and Ben Dunk partnered to forge a brief stand. The latter played a counter-attacking innings and made 26 off 14 balls with the aid of two sixes and three fours to steady Australia’s innings.

However, Dunk’s removal triggered a collapse that Australia could not recover from. Once Saeed Ajmal was introduced in the attack, it was all his spin magic that bundled them out for a meagre score.

Saeed Ajmal routed the lower order, starting with the removal of Short (2), Daniel Christian for a golden duck, Ben Cutting (5), Peter Siddle (5), and Steve O’Keefe for a single run.

For Pakistan Champions, Saeed Ajmal bowled an outstanding spell, taking a six-wicket haul for just 16 runs in 3.5 overs.

Playing XIs

Australia: Chris Lynn, Shaun Marsh, D Arcy Short, Ben Dunk (wk), Daniel Christian, Callum Ferguson, Ben Cutting, Peter Siddle, Brett Lee (c), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Steve O’Keefe

Pakistan: Sharjeel Khan, Kamran Akmal (wk), Fawad Alam, Umar Amin, Asif Ali, Shoaib Malik (c), Imad Wasim, Aamer Yamin, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal

READ: New Zealand face major setback as key player ruled out of first Zimbabwe Test

LEEDS: Australia Champions pulled off a thrilling four-wicket win against India Champions in a high-octane clash of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here on Saturday.

Chasing a stiff target of 204, Australia got over the line on the penultimate delivery of the match, with Callum Ferguson sealing the deal by launching Irfan Pathan for a six.

They finished at 207-6 in 19.5 overs, handing India their second straight loss in the tournament.

Ferguson, who walked in with the scoreboard reading 65-4 in the eighth over, turned the game on its head with a match-winning knock of 70 not out from just 38 balls. His innings was laced with five fours and four sixes.

Dan Christian also played a key role in the chase, scoring 39 off 25 deliveries, including five boundaries and a six.

For India Champions, Piyush Chawla was the pick of the bowlers with 3-36, while Harbhajan Singh chipped in with two wickets and Vinay Kumar took one.

Earlier, Australia opted to bowl first but were put under pressure right away as Indian openers Robin Uthappa and Shikhar Dhawan put up a brisk 57-run stand in just five overs.

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However, Dan Christian turned the momentum with a double-strike in the sixth over, removing Uthappa for 37 (21) and Ambati Rayudu for a two-ball duck.

Despite the wickets, Dhawan held one end firm, anchoring the innings with a sublime unbeaten 91 off 60 deliveries.

He found support from Yusuf Pathan, who exploded late in the innings with a fiery 52 not out off just 23 balls.

The duo stitched together a 100-run partnership for the fifth wicket, taking India to a competitive total of 203-4 in their 20 overs.

With this result, Australia Champions climbed to second place on the WCL 2025 points table with two wins in three games.

India Champions, on the other hand, are yet to open their account after two matches.

READ: India-Pakistan clash confirmed as Asia Cup 2025 schedule unveiled

NORTHAMPTON: Chris Lynn’s electrifying 81 off 27 balls powered Australia Champions to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over West Indies Champions in World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here at the Country Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Chasing a meagre target of 143 runs in the seventh encounter of WCL 2025, Australia Champions knocked the winning runs in only 9.3 overs for the loss of two wickets.

Australia Champions started briskly in modest chase, smashing 34 in only 3 overs and losing only one wicket in the process. Chris Lynn was the core aggressor while Shaun Marsh was cleaned up by Ashley Nurse for nine.

Following the wicket, Lynn, known for his six-hitting power, tonked West Indies bowlers all around the park. He reached his half-century on just 20 balls. During his power show, Australia accumulated more than 15 in an over with ease.

He was eventually out in the eighth over as Australia’s scorecard read 111. Chris Lynn’s blazing knock featured eight towering sixes and half a dozen fours.

Following his departure, Ben Dunk took charge and smashed 30 off just 9 balls, laced with three sixes to seal a dominant victory for his side.

For West Indies Champions, Nikita Miller and Ashley Nurse picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Peter Siddle’s three-wicket haul restricted West Indies’ explosive batting line-up from scoring big against Australia Champions.

Put it into bat first, West Indies Champions finished their innings for the loss of eight wickets in their allocated 20 overs.

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Australia Champions capitalized on the decision to bowl first, removing the opener William Perkins (10) only in the second over. However, following an early setback, Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle partnered for a 36-run stand.

Gayle scored 21 off 15, laced with four boundaries, before getting dismissed once the fielding restrictions were lifted. Soon after, Smith followed him, scoring 22 of 20 deliveries with the help of a six and three fours.

All of a sudden, West Indies Champions were reduced to 56-4 as previous match hero Chadwick Walton departed for a first-ball duck.

Australia Champions continued to strike at regular intervals, which prevented the West Indies’ Champions from reaching an imposing total. Lendl Simmons top-scored with 29 off 28 balls with the aid of two maximums and a four.

For Australia, Peter Siddle was the standout bowler, taking three wickets in his four overs, while Nathan Coulter-Nile scalped two wickets.

The WCL 2025 is currently contested across four English venues: Edgbaston (Birmingham), County Ground (Northampton), Grace Road (Leicester), and Headingley (Leeds).

Six teams, India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies, will face off in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals.

The ongoing edition marks the second installment of the WCL, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, where the Indian team, led by the legendary Yuvraj Singh, emerged as champions.

Playing XIs

Australia Champions

Shaun Marsh, Chris Lynn, D Arcy Short, Ben Dunk (wk), Callum Ferguson, Ben Cutting, Daniel Christian, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Steve O’Keefe, Brett Lee (c), Peter Siddle

West Indies Champions

Chris Gayle (c), Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Chadwick Walton (wk), William Perkins, Kieron Pollard, Ashley Nurse, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Nikita Miller, Shannon Gabriel

READ: Fakhar, Abbas make gains as Pakistan players suffer T20I rankings slump

Australia Champions have announced a star-studded squad for the second edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), set to be played from July 18 to August 2, 2025.

Pace legend Brett Lee headlines is part of the squad, alongside power-hitter Chris Lynn and classy left-hander Shaun Marsh.

This year’s Australia Champions outfit also features performers like Ben Cutting, Moises Henriques, Peter Siddle, Nathan Coulter-Nile, and D’Arcy Short, giving them one of the most well-rounded and dangerous line-ups heading into the tournament.

For Lee, the emotions run deep. The 47-year-old spoke about the thrill of pulling on the Aussie colors again, this time in a tournament that combines the fire of competition with the camaraderie of old mates.

“Being part of WCL is an incredible opportunity to relive the adrenaline of top-level cricket,” said Lee.

“Representing Australia again, alongside some of my best mates, is something truly close to my heart. We’re coming with intent—to entertain and to dominate.”

Team owner Puneet Singh also struck a bold note ahead of the tournament, calling the Australia squad more than just a team.

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“With Brett, Lynny, and Cutting leading the charge, we’re bringing back the fierce Australian spirit to WCL. Expect fireworks, passion, and pure cricketing brilliance,” Singh said.

Harshit Tomar, Founder and CEO of the World Championship of Legends, welcomed the Aussies’ announcement with high praise.

“Australia has always been a force in world cricket, and the WCL is proud to welcome back icons like Brett Lee and Chris Lynn,” Tomar said.

“With a squad stacked with power hitters and fiery pacers, the Australia Champions are set to be one of the most formidable sides this season.”

The second season of the WCL will see six legendary sides in action: Australia, Pakistan, India, England, South Africa, and the West Indies.

The tournament kicks off on July 18 at Edgbaston, with Pakistan Champions facing England Champions in the opener.

Australia Champions Squad for WCL 2025

Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Chris Lynn, Ben Dunk, Callum Ferguson, Ben Cutting, Peter Siddle, Moises Henriques, Dan Christian, Rob Quiney, Nathan Coulter-Nile, D’Arcy Short, Stephen O’Keefe.

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