Martin Guptill's Blazing 68 Powers Pune Panthers to Victory in World Legends

A sensational knock from Martin Guptill, 68 runs off just 28 balls, ultimately guided the Pune Panthers to a four-wicket victory, according to a release.

With both teams eager to make an early statement in the tournament, Gurugram Thunders won the toss and elected to bat first. They posted a competitive total of 159 for 5, built around a commanding innings from Ross Taylor. Despite early setbacks, the Thunders kept the scoreboard moving, absorbing pressure through the middle overs.

Dwayne Bravo then tightened the screws with two quick wickets, briefly putting the brakes on the scoring. Taylor, however, held the innings together with a composed and authoritative knock, finding solid support from Colin de Grandhomme. The pair stitched together a crucial partnership that stabilised the innings and ensured Gurugram finished with a respectable total on the board.

In reply, Pune Panthers lost Shane Watson early, but Martin Guptill held the fort, anchoring a crucial 72-run partnership to restore momentum. Speaking about the chase, Guptill said, "It was good to set the tone early. Chases like that can get tricky if you lose wickets, but we managed to stay ahead of the run rate, and from there it was pretty straightforward. It was great fun playing against familiar faces and enjoying a bit of banter out in the middle. Today's done now, though we take the confidence, reset, and go again tomorrow."

The Panthers lost a few wickets in the middle overs, momentarily slowing the chase, but Afghan all-rounder Sayed Shirzad Shinwari made a telling impact with both bat and ball. Earlier, when asked to bowl first, he struck twice by removing both Gurugram openers. He later provided valuable support in the chase with a quickfire 21 off 10 balls.

Guptill remained the driving force of the pursuit, his blistering 68 off 28 deliveries keeping the required rate firmly in check. His aggressive strokeplay ensured the Panthers crossed the line with four wickets in hand, sealing an impressive win to kick off their campaign.

- ANI