3 best batting performances from WCL 2024

WCL. (Photo source: WCL)

The World Championship of Legends has returned for its second season in 2025. The first season that was played in 2024 was nothing less than a super hit. The league gave the cricket-loving audience a hit of nostalgia as some of the greatest of the game walked down the path once again.

The first season saw India Champions lifting the trophy after beating Pakistan Champions in the final. The Indian team was led by two-time World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh. Five out of the 11 players who played the semi-final game against Australia Champions were part of the group that lifted the T20 World Cup in 2007.

Yuvraj won the Player of the Match award in the semi-final against Australia in 2007 for his knock of 70 runs off 30 deliveries. He did the same 17 years later and made 59 runs off 28 deliveries in the WCL semi-final. Yuvraj won the Player of the Match award once again. India defeated Pakistan by five runs in the T20 World Cup final in 2007. In the WCL final, India batted second and the margin of victory was five wickets.

On that note, let’s take a look at 3 best batting performances from WCL 2024:

3. Ben Dunk – 100 vs West Indies Champions

Australia Champions faced the West Indies Champions in the 14th match of the tournament on July 10. Australia lost the wicket of Aaron Finch in the third over, but the run-rate kept going up because of Ben Dunk’s presence in the middle. He added 65 runs for the second wicket with Shaun Marsh and 46 runs for the third wicket with Callum Ferguson.

Dunk was dismissed in the 12th over, and Australia had posted 144 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets. He had scored 100 runs out of these 144 runs alone and took just 35 deliveries to reach the mark. Dan Christian played a knock of 99 runs off 35 deliveries, and Australia posted a total of 274 runs for the loss of seven wickets.

2. Gurkeerat Singh Mann – 86* vs West Indies Champions

In the sixth match of WCL 2024, India faced the West Indies, where the West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl. India had lost three wickets in the powerplay and put up a total of 65 runs. Gurkeerat Singh Mann joined Yuvraj in the middle.

The two batters had a partnership of 74 runs for the third wicket before Yuvraj had to retire hurt. Mann remained unbeaten at the end of the 20th over mark. He finished with 86 runs off 42 deliveries and helped India post a total of 229 runs for the loss of five wickets. The West Indies had a target of 59 runs to be chased in 5.3 overs due to rain. India won the match by 27 runs, and Mann was adjudged Player of the Match.

1. Sarel Erwee – 105* vs Pakistan Champions

Sarel Erwee was the first player to hit a century in the WCL 2024 when South Africa Champions took on Pakistan on July 9. Pakistan scored 210 runs for the loss of four wickets with the help of half-centuries from Sharjeel Khan and Shoaib Malik.

JP Duminy and Jacques Snyman opened the innings for South Africa. Duminy fell in the third over after scoring nine runs off eight deliveries. Erwee joined Snyman in the middle, and the duo took on Pakistan’s bowlers. South Africa reached the target of 211 in 18.3 overs with nine wickets in hand. Erwee scored 105 runs off 57 deliveries, while Snyman had made 82 off 47.

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