Australia Masters equipped preparations for Thursday’s first semifinal in opposition to India Masters with a nervy three-wicket victory in opposition to conventional rivals England Masters within the ultimate Group stage match of the Worldwide Masters League (IML) 2025 on the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Worldwide Stadium right here on Wednesday. The win ensured Australia Masters completed third on the IML factors desk, establishing their knockout conflict with No.2 positioned India Masters.
With an eye fixed on the semifinals, Australia Masters made a strategic tweak to their batting order whereas chasing a formidable 210, and the ploy labored nicely with the brand new opening pair of Shaun Marsh and Daniel Christian setting the platform with a 52-run stand. Whereas Marsh departed after a brisk 12-ball 20, Christian made his intent clear as he toyed with the English bowling assault, slamming seven boundaries and 4 mammoth sixes in his aggressive 28-ball 61 to take the assault again to the opposition.
Nathan Reardon then joined the social gathering with an explosive 83 to make sure Australia Masters remained within the hunt. Reardon’s affiliation with Christian produced 52 runs for the second wicket that helped the Aussies get previous the 100-run mark earlier than left-arm spinner Monty Panesar slowed down the scoring price for some time by accounting for the important thing wicket of Christian. Thereafter, Reardon anchored the chase within the firm of Ben Reducing (12), and later with wicketkeeper Peter Nevill (28), till Tim Bresnan’s five-wicket burst delayed the inevitable for England Masters.
Bresnan utilized the brakes on Australia Masters, by ending Reardon’s 39-ball knock, laced with 9 boundaries and 5 sixes, and by the point, the Australians have been in touching distance of the goal, the English seamer struck off consecutive deliveries to dismiss Nevill and James Pattinson, earlier than packing Ben Laughlin for his fifth wicket. Bresnan had earlier accounted for the wicket of Marsh. With the Aussies needing two off the ultimate over, captain Shane Watson saved his composure to finish the formalities with 5 balls to spare.
Additionally Verify: Worldwide Masters League T20 2025 Information
Earlier, with nothing to lose, England Masters displayed a fearless intent on an ideal batting strip after opting to bat and rode on explosive half-centuries from Eoin Morgan (64) and Tim Ambrose (69 not out) to set a frightening 209/3.
Opening the innings, Morgan wasted no time in asserting dominance, launching a brutal assault on the Aussie bowlers. His 76-run opening stand with Phil Mustard (17 off 17) laid the muse for a giant complete. Morgan raced to a 27-ball fifty, peppering the boundary ropes with 5 fours and as many sixes. Mustard, enjoying the supporting function, fell to leg spinner Bryce McGain in an try and speed up.
Morgan’s onslaught continued as he stitched a 28-run stand with Tim Ambrose earlier than lastly perishing to Steve O’Keefe after a surprising 32-ball 64. Regardless of his departure, England refused to take the foot off the pedal, with Ambrose taking heart stage, punishing the Aussie assault with elegant stroke play. He discovered an ready associate in Darren Maddy (29 off 19), who smashed two fours and a six for a brisk cameo. Their 71-run partnership for the third wicket saved England in command.
After Maddy’s departure, Tim Bresnan (18 not out of 8) joined Ambrose within the ultimate overs, guaranteeing a powerful end. Ambrose remained unbeaten on 69 off 44 balls, smashing seven fours and two sixes, whereas Bresnan’s cameo, which included two fours and a six, propelled England Masters previous the 200-run mark, establishing a formidable complete for the Aussies to chase.
On Thursday, the battle traces are drawn as Sachin Tendulkar-led India Masters, which ended second within the factors desk with eight factors from their 5 league video games, will lock horns with Australia Masters within the first semi-final, earlier than Kumar Sangakkara’s Sri Lanka Masters battle out the West Indies Masters in Friday’s second semifinal, for a spot in Sunday’s title conflict.
Temporary Scores: England Masters 209/3 (Tim Ambrose 69 not out, Eoin Morgan 64, Darren Maddy 29) misplaced to Australia Masters 210/7 (Nathan Reardon 83, Daniel Christian 61, Peter Nevill 28; Tim Bresnan 5/45) by 3 wickets.
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