Greater Noida, May 28 (H.S.): The inaugural day of the Intercontinental Legends Championship (ILC) kicked off in an extremely exciting manner at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex. In the opening match on Tuesday night, Shikhar Dhawan's Indian Warriors defeated the African Lions by 7 wickets, marking a victorious start to the tournament.

Winning the toss, the African Lions opted to bat first and scored 195 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 20 overs. Shekhar Sirohi played an explosive innings, scoring 65 runs off just 26 balls, showcasing several attractive shots. In the final overs, Shivam Sharma contributed by adding 24 runs off 14 balls to strengthen the score.

Chasing the target of 195 runs, the Indian Warriors had a stormy start. Shikhar Dhawan and captain Priyank Panchal added 67 runs in the first six overs. Although the team lost two wickets in the seventh over, Pawan Negi and Kedar Devdhar stabilized the innings thereafter.

**Negi-Devdhar Partnership Secured Victory with 15 Balls to Spare**

In the Warriors' victory, Kedar Devdhar scored a brilliant 60 runs off 39 balls, while Pawan Negi made 57 runs off 28 balls. Captain Panchal also contributed a quick 38 runs off 17 balls. Thanks to the aggressive batting of these three, the team finished the match with 15 balls remaining.

After the match, captain Priyank Panchal said, The first win is very special. It’s an honor to play alongside an experienced player like Shikhar Dhawan. He provided continuous guidance throughout the innings, which made it easier for us to reach the target.

The league stage will continue until June 3, with both semifinals taking place on June 4, and the final match scheduled for June 5 at 7:30 PM.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar