England defeat India in WCL, Bopara's century leads the way

England delivered a dominant performance to knock India out of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), securing a thrilling 23-run victory at Headingley, Leeds, on Sunday.

Ravi Bopara’s explosive unbeaten century and Ajmal Shahzad’s sharp bowling were key to England’s triumph. After winning the toss, India’s captain Yuvraj Singh chose to bowl first, a decision that backfired as England posted a massive total of 223/3 in 20 overs, setting India a challenging target.

Bopara was the star of the innings, finishing with an unbeaten 110 from just 55 balls, including eight sixes and eight boundaries. His knock was a masterclass in controlled aggression, constantly keeping the scoreboard ticking. Ian Bell contributed with 54 off 36 balls, while Moeen Ali added a quickfire 33 from 13 balls, and Samit Patel scored 20 runs from nine balls.

Among India’s bowlers, Harbhajan Singh stood out, claiming 3/18 in three overs. Varun Aaron picked up 1/34 from his four overs.

Chasing a daunting target of 224, India fought hard but ultimately fell short, finishing at 200/8 in 20 overs. Yusuf Pathan was the top scorer with 52 off 29 balls, while Yuvraj Singh contributed 38 runs from 27 balls. Stuart Binny and Ambati Rayudu also made useful contributions, but regular wickets kept India from closing the gap.

Ajmal Shahzad’s exceptional bowling spell turned the match in England’s favor as he claimed 4/31 in his four overs. Stuart Meaker took two wickets, while Ravi Bopara and Ryan Sidebottom each picked up one.