India Masters might have beaten West Indies Masters in the final of the International Masters League (IML) 2025, but what caught people’s eye was the unnecessary heated altercation between Yuvraj Singh and Tino Best at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Sunday.
The incident took place in the 13th over of India Masters innings. While the ignition point of the altercation wasn’t known, the visuals showed Yuvraj Singh pointing fingers at Tino Best while the West Indies pacer retaliated continuously.
The moment got such intense that even the likes of Brian Lara, Ambati Rayudu and umpire Billy Bowden had to intervene to separate the duo. A couple of overs later, the duo was again spotted speaking with each other, but in a polite way.
India Masters clinch inaugural title
Meanwhile, India Masters etched their name in history by clinching the inaugural IML title, after defeating West Indies Masters by six wickets. Led by the iconic Sachin Tendulkar, India Masters produced a clinical all-round performance to outclass Brian Lara’s West Indies Masters to lift the coveted title in the presence of close to 50,000 fans.
Sent into bowl first, India Masters contained the opposition for a sub-par 148/7, and then rode on a fluent 67-run opening stand from Sachin Tendulkar (25) in the company of Ambati Rayudu (74) to set the tone for the chase. India Masters won the game with 17 balls to spare.
The India Masters made a statement with their batting might as Sachin Tendulkar and Ambati Rayudu treated the packed stadium to some vintage strokeplay. While Sachin Tendulkar played with finesse, threading the field with his signature cover drives and flicks, Ambati Rayudu dismantled the West India Masters bowling.
Rayudu, however, ensured that the fireworks continued as India Masters cruised along towards the target. In the process, the right-handed opener got to a 34-ball fifty with a boundary off Best, even as his second-wicket stand with Gurkeerat Singh Mann (14) added another 28 runs to the Indian total. Mann perished while attempting for a glory shot to off-spinner Ashley Nurse, paving the way for Yuvraj Singh’s (13 not out) arrival into the middle amid loud cheers.
Just when the India Masters were romping home towards victory, the West Indies Masters spinners delayed the inevitable with the wickets of Rayudu, who fell to left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn after belting nine fours and three mammoth sixes in his 50-ball knock, and new man Yusuf Pathan after being trapped in front by Nurse. However, with the equation down to 17 off the final 28 deliveries, Stuart Binny (16 not out) applied the finishing touches in style by smoking two gigantic sixes.
Earlier, India Masters bowlers’ dictated terms after the Caribbean side opted to bat, restricting them to a modest 148/7, built mainly around Lendl Simmons’ half century.
For West Indies Masters, Dwayne Smith (45) and Lendl Simmons (57) scored runs. For the home side, R Vinay Kumar (3/26) emerged the pick of the bowlers while Shahbaz Nadeem came up with two wickets. Pawan Negi and Stuart Binny also chipped in with a wicket apiece.
