News Sports Cricket County Ground, Northampton Pitch Report: How will surface play for World Championship of Legends semifinals?

County Ground, Northampton Pitch Report: How will surface play for World Championship of Legends semifinals?

The inaugural edition of the World Championship of Legends is closing in on its climax with semifinals set to be played today. Pakistan will face West Indies in the first semifinal while the India and Australia will lock horns in the second semifinals. Here's the pitch report of County Ground.

World Championship of Legends Image Source : INSTAGRAM/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF LEGENDSIndia Champions vs Australia Champions

It is the semifinal day in the ongoing edition of the World Championship of Legends with Pakistan Champions facing West Indies Champions in the first semifinal. India Champions will lock horns against the Australia Champions in the second game of the day and both matches will be played at County Ground in Northampton.

Australia, led by Brett Lee, topped the points table with four wins in five matches and are coming off a stunning win over West Indies having amassed 274 runs against them in 20 overs. On the other hand, the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions somehow managed to make it to the semis despite losing their last three matches. They pipped South Africa on the basis of net run-rate to qualify for the knockouts but now will have to play their best cricket to go past the Aussies.

In the other semifinal, Younus Khan led Pakistan Champions will face West Indies Champions. Pakistan finished at the second place in the league stage and are one of the favourites to lift the trophy looking at the form of their players. With the prospect of an India vs Pakistan final, the fans will be excited in both the semifinals that are to be played today.

County Ground, Northampton Pitch Report

Both semifinal matches are set to take place at County Ground in Northampton. The venue has hosted five matches of the tournament already and three of them have been won by teams batting first. Australia Champions won both their matches batting first here while Pakistan Champions lost the only game played here by nine wickets.

County Ground Northampton - T20 Numbers Game (WCL 2024 matches considered)

Matches Played - 5

Teams won batting first - 3

Teams won bowling first - 2

Average 1st inns score - 220

Average 2nd inns score - 195

Highest total - 274 by AUS-C vs WI-C

Highest total chased - 214 by SA-C vs PAK-C

Squads

West Indies Champions Squad: Dwayne Smith, Kirk Edwards, Chadwick Walton(w), Jonathan Carter, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Daren Sammy(c), Navin Stewart, Rayad Emrit, Tino Best, Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, Sulieman Benn, Chris Gayle, Samuel Badree

Pakistan Champions Squad: Kamran Akmal(w), Sharjeel Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Younis Khan(c), Misbah-ul-Haq, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Akmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Arafat, Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar

India Champions Squad: Robin Uthappa, Naman Ojha(w), Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Yuvraj Singh(c), Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Pawan Negi, Harbhajan Singh, Vinay Kumar, Rahul Shukla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Saurabh Tiwary, Anureet Singh, Rahul Sharma, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, RP Singh

Australia Champions Squad: Shaun Marsh, Aaron Finch, Ben Dunk, Callum Ferguson, Daniel Christian, Ben Cutting, Tim Paine(w), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Laughlin, Brett Lee(c), Peter Siddle, Xavier Doherty, Dirk Nannes, John Hastings, Brad Haddin