3 must watch upcoming matches in Legends Cricket Trophy
The Legends Cricket Trophy (LCT) has now entered its final phase.
Eleven matches have taken place so far in the inaugural edition of the LCT. The Chandigarh Champs currently hold the top position in the points table with three wins and a no result in four matches.
The last four league-stage matches of the season will decide the lineup for the semifinals. Four out of the six teams will advance to the semifinals stage of the competition.
Chandigarh has notably sealed its spot in the next round with seven points and a positive net run rate of +2.931.
The Indore Knights and Vizag Titans have also qualified for the next round of the Legends Cricket Trophy. The Knights currently hold second position with six points from four matches, while the Titans are right behind them with five points from four games.
The Guwahati Avengers and Patna Warriors hold the fourth and fifth positions in the standings with two points each from three matches. The Nagpur Ninjas have been eliminated from the tournament, having suffered four losses in four matches.
One team out of the Avengers and Warriors will qualify for the Legends Cricket Trophy semifinals along with the Chandigarh Champs. Here's a look at the three matches that will play a role in deciding the lineup for the semifinals.
#1 Chandigarh Champs vs Patna Warriors, Match 12
The 12th match of the Legends Cricket Trophy will take place on Monday (March 27) in Ghaziabad. Tabletoppers Chandigarh Champs will square off against the Patna Warriors.
It is a virtual do-or-die game for the Warriors, who currently hold the fifth spot in the points table.
Some known names like Farvez Maharoof, Manvinder Bisla, Chris Mpofu and Rikki Clarke are a part of the Warriors side. It will be interesting to see if they can end the Champs' unbeaten streak in the LCT.
#2 Guwahati Avengers vs Nagpur Ninjas, Match 13
Sanath Jayasuriya's Guwahati Avengers will clash against Harbhajan Singh's Nagpur Ninjas in Monday's second match at the Legends Cricket Trophy. The game is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST.
As mentioned earlier, Nagpur are out of the race for the semifinals, but they can spoil Guwahati's party. If the Ninjas defeat the Avengers, the latter's chances of qualifying for the next round will reduce significantly.
Apart from Harbhajan Singh, the Nagpur squad also comprises Richard Levi, Dilhara Fernando and Parvinder Awana. The Ninjas will aim to record at least one win in the tournament when they take to the field on Monday.
#3 Guwahati Avengers vs Patna Warriors, Match 14
If the Patna Warriors beat the Chandigarh Champs and the Guwahati Avengers defeat Nagpur Ninjas on Monday, the Guwahati vs Patna match will become a virtual quarterfinal.
As mentioned earlier, the Avengers and Warriors have the same number of points after three matches each in the Legends Cricket Trophy. A win in their respective games on Monday will keep them in the same spot, making their match against each other some must-watch TV.
The battle between Guwahati and Patna will commence at 3:00 PM IST on Tuesday (March 28) in Ghaziabad.
The Guwahati Avengers squad consists of some experienced T20 match-winners, including Yusuf Pathan, Upul Tharanga, Tino Best and Sanath Jayasuriya.