Yuvraj Singh showed glimpses of his glory days while playing an important role in his side Toronto Nationals’ victory over Edmonton Royals by two wickets in the ongoing Global T20 Canada on Saturday (local time).
Chasing 192 in a 19-over game – curtailed because of rain – Nationals had a poor start after losing both their openers for 29. Captain Yuvraj Singh then got together with South Africa’s wicket-keeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen to provide stability to their chase. The duo put together a 56-run stand for the third wicket in quick time to bring Toronto Nationals chase back on track.
Yuvraj hit three sixes and three fours in his knock of 35 runs off just 21 balls, but as soon as he started to look at his flourishing best, he was sent back to the pavilion by Ben Cutting. Yuvraj however, played some delightful strokes whil he was there at the crease. Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan was stunned by a Yuvraj flick that went for a flat six towards the mid-wicket region.
Yuvraj’s dismissal turned the match towards the Royals as they got rid of Keiron Pollard (2)to leave Nationals at 88/4.
35 in 21 which include 3 sixes and 3 fours as well.
Loved watching him bat after so long ❤️🏏#GLT20 #GlobalT20Canada #YuvrajSingh @YUVSTRONG12 @GT20Canada @TorontoNational— Sidak Singh Saluja (@SIDAKtweets) July 27, 2019
The Nationals kept losing wickets in the middle overs and at one stage looked out of the game at 125/7 in the 14th over. But Manpreet Gony had other plans as he played a quickfire knock of 33 runs off just 12 balls.
Gony was dismissed in the seventh over, but Salman Nazar and Mark Montfort ensured Nationals’ victory by two wickets in the 18th over.
Earlier, Ben Cutting’s knock of 43 runs off just 24 balls propelled Royals to 191/6 in the allotted twenty overs after being asked to bat first.
Royals lost their opener Richie Berrington (5) cheaply as he was sent back to the pavilion by Jeremy Gordon. Faf du Plessis and Navneet Dhaliwal put up a quickfire 40-run stand, but du Plessis (28) was dismissed in the seventh over to reduce Nations to 50/2.
The team kept on losing wickets at regular intervals, and as a result, the team found itself at 105/5 in the 14th over. At that point, Cutting and Shadab Khan got together at the crease and stitched together a partnership of 65 runs.
Khan (36) was dismissed in the 18th over, but Cutting ensured the team goes past the 190-run mark.
Edmonton Royals will face Brampton Wolves on July 28 whereas Toronto Nationals will take on Winnipeg Hawks on July 29.
Brief Scores: Toronto Nationals 192/8 (Heinrich Klassen 45, Yuvraj Singh 35, Shadab Khan 2-42) defeat Edmonton Royals 191/6 (Ben Cutting 43*, Shadab Khan 36, Chris Green 3-33) by two wickets.