Synopsis
On March 13 in Raipur, Yuvraj Singh's stunning fifty brought back memories as India Masters faced Australia Masters in the IML 2025 semifinal. With Tendulkar's 42 and Yuvraj's explosive performance, India set a challenging 220/7. The match added another thrilling chapter to their historic rivalry.Key Takeaways
- Yuvraj Singh showcased his classic batting style with a brilliant fifty.
- Sachin Tendulkar’s experience added stability to India Masters’ innings.
- The match continued the historic rivalry between India and Australia Masters.
- India Masters posted a competitive total of 220/7 in the semifinal.
- Strong performances from both teams kept the crowd engaged.
Raipur, March 13 (NationPress) Yuvraj Singh delivered a spectacular half-century, reviving cricketing memories as India Masters faced off against Australia Masters in the opening semifinal of the International Masters League (IML) 2025, contributing another exciting chapter to the historic rivalry between the teams.
For the home side, this match represents more than just a chance to advance to Sunday’s title match — it’s an opportunity to rectify past defeats. They set a challenging target of 220/7, thanks to captain Sachin Tendulkar’s aggressive 42 and Yuvraj Singh’s explosive half-century.
The crowd in Raipur roared with excitement as Tendulkar stepped up to lead the India Masters’ innings after being invited to bat by Australia Masters on a pitch ideal for batting. However, early setbacks threatened to derail the innings as the spin duo of Steve O’Keefe and Xavier Doherty dismissed Ambati Rayudu (5) and Pawan Negi (11) cheaply.
Undeterred by the early wickets, Tendulkar showcased his timeless elegance, reminding everyone of his exceptional skills. Each flick and drive served as a reminder of why he remains a cricketing legend, maintaining a steady flow of runs. Yuvraj Singh made an emphatic entrance, smashing a massive six over midwicket.
There were moments of concern for Tendulkar at 25 and 35, but once those passed, the iconic chants of “Sachin! Sachin!” filled the air. Their 47-run partnership for the third wicket laid a solid foundation for a substantial total.
However, a hush fell over Raipur moments later when Ben Hilfenhaus ended Tendulkar’s sublime 30-ball innings, which included seven boundaries. With the master departing, another familiar face was ready to take charge.
Yuvraj Singh was in vintage form, accelerating the scoring and taking Bryce McGain to the stands three times in a single over to reach an explosive 26-ball fifty. Newcomer Stuart Binny quickly made his mark, taking advantage of a reprieve on 11 off Hilfenhaus and finding the boundary with ease.
Just when the Yuvraj-Binny partnership seemed unstoppable, Doherty managed to quiet the crowd, but not before Yuvraj had smashed seven sixes and a four in a phenomenal 30-ball innings. The excitement continued as Yusuf Pathan entered the fray, launching a towering six over long-on, while Binny kept the momentum going as India raced to 199/4 by the 18th over.
Despite the India Masters’ efforts to accelerate in the final two overs, Daniel Christian struck back, dismissing both Binny and Yusuf Pathan in quick succession.
At that point, the right-handed duo had contributed 49 runs for the fifth wicket, with Binny scoring 36 runs off 21 balls, including five boundaries and one six, while Yusuf added 23 runs off just 10 balls, featuring two sixes and a four. Ultimately, Irfan Pathan’s quickfire 19 off seven balls pushed the home side to a competitive total.
Brief scores :
India Masters 220/7 (Sachin Tendulkar 42, Yuvraj Singh 59, Stuart Binny 36, Yusuf Pathan 23; Xavier Doherty 2/30, Daniel Christian 2/40) vs Australia Masters.
