The World Legends Pro T20 League 2026 came to an exciting end at the 1919 Sportz Cricket Stadium in Goa. The Dubai Royals achieved a remarkable victory against the Pune Panthers. Despite being seen as underdogs, Shikhar Dhawan’s team chased down a big target successfully.
This tournament featured retired cricket stars like Martin Guptill and Kieron Pollard. The Royals managed to turn their fortunes around, finishing as champions after starting at the bottom of the table. The final match was defined by powerful hitting and skilled play, with the Royals winning by 8 wickets with six balls left. This win capped a surprising turnaround for a team many had doubted during the group stages. The enthusiastic crowd in Goa enjoyed an impressive display of T20 cricket.
Martin Guptill’s century sets the stage for Pune
The Panthers, led by Kieron Pollard, set a challenging target after batting first, finishing their 20 overs at 194/4. The innings featured Martin Guptill, the tournament’s top run-scorer, who scored 62 off 40 balls, including 4 fours and 4 sixes. He received strong support from Upul Tharanga, who made 55 off 39 balls, putting pressure on the Royals’ bowlers with their strong opening partnership.
Shane Watson added late fireworks with an unbeaten 50 off just 24 balls, achieving a strike rate of 208.33. Despite the sharp batting, Piyush Chawla was the standout bowler for Dubai, taking 2 wickets for 42 runs, effectively slowing down the scoring during the middle overs. Parvez Rasool also had a solid performance, finishing with 1/30, keeping the Panthers under 200 runs. Their total of 194 was significant on a pitch showing signs of wear.
Record partnership by Dhawan and Bisla clinches the title
The Royals responded impressively, reaching 197/2 in 19 overs. Dhawan led the charge with 64 off 39 balls, while Manvinder Bisla topped the score with 67 off 44 balls, hitting 5 sixes. Their opening stand produced 131 runs in just 13.2 overs, overwhelming the Panthers’ bowling attack.
After both openers were out, experienced players Ambati Rayudu (29 off 17) and Samit Patel (28 off 14) ensured a smooth finish, securing a 50-run partnership without losing more wickets. For Pune, Ankit Rajpoot was the only bowler who found some rhythm, ending with figures of 1/27, while Dwayne Bravo went for 36 runs for his lone wicket. The Royals’ successful chase, at a run rate of 10.37, earned them the trophy, with Dhawan named Player of the Match for his impressive performance throughout the tournament.
