India Masters and Sri Lanka Masters played the first game of the International Masters League T20 2025 at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. It was a very close game. Both teams had famous players from the past, so the game was very exciting and went all the way to the end. India Masters won by an exciting four runs in the end, fighting off a late charge from Sri Lanka Masters.
India Masters Score a Huge Score
India Masters made a great score of 222/4 in their 20 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first. Stuart Binny’s powerful 68 off 31 balls, which included 6 fours and 5 sixes, helped the team win. As the game came to a close, Yusuf Pathan, who is known for his bold stroke play, hit a perfect 56 off of just 22 deliveries, which is a rate of over 250.
The Indian openers got off to a good start. Virender Sehwag showed signs of his old form before getting out for 24. In the middle overs, Suresh Raina, who was playing at No. 3, added a quick 35 off 22 balls to stay in the game. But the combination between Stuart Binny and Yusuf Pathan won the game for India.
The Sri Lankan bowlers had a hard time stopping the runs. Farveez Maharoof (1/39) and Isuru Udana (1/41) were the only bowlers who got catches. The spin bowlers didn’t do their jobs well. For example, Ajantha Mendis gave up 45 runs in 4 overs without getting a wicket.
Masters of Sri Lanka’s Spirited Chase Falls Not Long
Sri Lanka Masters got off to a bad start when they were trying to reach a tough score of 223. They lost Tillakaratne Dilshan early on for only 7 runs. But Kumar Sangakkara played a captain’s knock, taking the lead and hitting 51 runs off 30 balls. He had good help from Upul Tharanga (39 off 24 balls), and the two of them worked well together to keep the chase alive.
Sri Lanka had a strong start, but lost steam in the middle overs when Mahela Jayawardene (21) and Chamara Kapugedera (12) were bowled out. The number of runs needed kept going up, and India’s bowlers got a better handle on the game.
It looked like India Masters had won the match, but Jeevan Mendis and Isuru Udana came back with a surprising attack. Mendis hit 4 sixes and 42 runs off of just 17 balls, and Udana’s late blitz of 23 runs off of 7 balls made for an exciting end.
With only 15 runs left in the last over, Irfan Pathan was put in charge of bowling. With calmness, he only let 10 runs through and took an important wicket, which helped India Masters win by a short margin of 4 runs.
Important Players in the Match
Indian Masters player Stuart Binny hit 68 off of 31 balls, with 6 fours and 5 sixes.
Indian Masters player Yusuf Pathan hit 56* off 22 balls, with 4 fours and 4 sixes.
Sri Lankan Master Kumar Sangakkara hits 51 off 30 balls, with 6 fours and 1 six.
42 off 17 balls for Sri Lankan Master Jeevan Mendis
India Masters’ Irfan Pathan: 3 for 39 in 4 overs
In conclusion
This exciting game with a lot of runs was a great way to start the International Masters League T20 2025. India Masters showed how good their hitting is, and Sri Lanka Masters almost pulled off a miracle run. With more games still to come, the event should bring cricket fans even more nostalgia and energy.
It’s important for both teams to build on their wins. The Sri Lanka Masters will try to get back on track in their next match. The stars of the game are still fighting it out on the pitch, so fans can expect more exciting matches.
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