RANCHI, India, CMC – Former West Indies Test batsman Kirk Edwards struck a half-century in vain as his India Capitals suffered a three-wicket defeat to Bhilwara Kings in the Legends League Cricket opening game here Saturday.
Sent in at the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Capitals piled up 228 for eight off their 20 overs, with the right-handed Edwards carved out a robust 59 off 31 balls with five fours and four sixes.
Edwards put on 107 for the second wicket with captain Gautam Gambhir, who lashed 63 from 35 deliveries with eight fours and a couple of sixes, the pair pulling the innings around from 12 for one in the third over.
The 39-year-old Edwards put on a further 32 for the third wicket with Australia’s Ben Dunk, thrilled with three fours and three sixes in a 16-ball 37.
Former West Indies off-spinner Ashley Nurse belted 34 from 20 balls with two fours and three sixes to keep the innings ticking over in a 38-run fifth wicket partnership with Dunk after another former West Indies batsman Ricardo Powell fell for a first-ball ‘duck.’
In reply, the West Indies pair of Chris Barnwell (22) and Lendl Simmons (11) fell cheaply, but Zimbabwe’s Solomon Mire struck a top score of 70 off 40 balls and captain Irfan Pathan a stunning 19-ball unbeaten 65 to get Kings over the line with four balls to spare.
Irfan blasted four and nine sixes, posting 51 for the sixth wicket with Barnwell and 43 in an unbroken eighth wicket stand with Iqbal Abdulla (seven not out).
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