Kamau Leverock’s India Tigers made an emphatic statement in their Legends Cricket League opener, securing a clinical 20-run victory over the Royal Riders Punjab at the Indira Gandhi International Cricket Stadium.
While the Bermudian all-rounder did not feature in the starting XI for the season’s first fixture, his side displayed the depth and veteran clinical edge that has made them early favorites for the 2026 title.
Batting first under the lights in Haldwani, the India Tigers navigated a disciplined bowling attack to post a competitive total of 168/9 from their 20 overs.
The standout performance with the bat came from Kuldeep Hooda, whose calculated 48 provided the backbone of the Tigers' innings. Despite a mid-innings wobble, Hooda’s ability to find the boundary at crucial moments ensured the Tigers stayed ahead of the projected rate.
The Royal Riders Punjab’s bowling effort was spearheaded by a relentless Anureet Singh. Singh proved to be the pick of the attack, finishing with impressive figures of 3-21 from his four overs, consistently troubling the Tigers' middle order with his variations.
In pursuit of 169, the Royal Riders Punjab struggled to build the significant partnerships required for a successful chase. Mohammad Shahzad offered the most resistance, mirroring Hooda’s earlier efforts with a fighting 48, but he lacked the necessary support from the other end.
The Tigers’ bowling unit remained composed under pressure, eventually restricting the Riders to 148/9. Pawan Negi was the star performer with the ball, returning clinical figures of 2-22 from his four-over quota. Negi’s economical spell strangled the scoring rate in the crucial middle overs, forcing the Riders into high-risk shots that led to their eventual downfall.
India Tigers Inning
..14 (12) Kirk Edwards b Anureet Singh ..09 (10) Tillakaratne Dilshan b Anureet Singh ..07 (17) Milinda Siriwardana b Farman Ahmed ..00 (03) Samit Patel b Farman Ahmed ..48 (38) Kuldeep Hooda b Thisara Perera ..08 (08) Jeevan Mendis st Mohammad Shahzad b Chaturanga ..41 (18) Pawan Negi c Chaturanga b Anureet Singh ..15 (07) Amit Paunikar Not Out ..09 (07) Akalanka Ganegama Run Out ..17 Extras (4lb-13w) 168 Total for 8 wickets after 20 overs
Fall of Wickets: 1-28 (Edwards), 2-31 (Dilshan), 3-36 (Patel), 4-48 (Siriwardana), 5-61 (Mendis), 6-125 (Hooda), 7-151 (Negi), 8-168 (Ganegama)
Royal Riders Punjab Bowlers
3.0-0-30-0 Aftab Alam 4.0-1-21-3 Anureet Singh 4.0-0-25-0 Farman Ahmed 4.0-0-45-0 Rishi Dhawan 2.0-0-12-1 Chaturanga de Silva 1.0-0-14-0 Samiullah Shinwari 2.0-0-17-1 Thisara Perera
Royal Riders Punjab Inning
..48 (18) Mohammad Shahzad c Jakati b Sumit Singh ..06 (09) Phil Mustard LBW Pawan Negi ..45 (39) Rishi Dhawan c Pawan Negi b Jeevan Mendis ..28 (31) Asghar Afghan st Amit Paunikar b Pawan Negi ..05 (10) Chaturanga de Silva c Tillakaratne Dilshan b Samit Patel ..01 (03) Thisara Perera c Tillakaratne Dilshan b Jeevan Mendis ..04 (02) Sarul Kanwar c Akalanka Ganegama b Abu Nechim ..00 (03) Samiullah Shinwari b Samit Patel ..05 (02) Angelo Perera Not Out ..00 (03) Anureet Singh c Tillakaratne Dilshan b Abu Nechim ..06 Extras (1lb-5w) 148 Total for 9 wickets after 20 overs
Fall of Wickets: 1-50 (Shahzad), 2-61 (Mustard), 3-123 (Afghan), 4-136 (Dhawan), 5-138 (Perera), 6-138 (de Silva), 7-138 (Shinwari), 8-146 (Kanwar), 9-148 (Singh)
