Sachin’s Blasters vs Warne’s Warriors All-Stars at LA: Cricket nostalgia unlimited
Legends Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne starred at the Dodger Stadium in the final match of the Cricket All-Stars Series in 2015.
Cricket
In a city that loves baseball, basketball and American football, cricket made a special appearance in Los Angeles on November 14, 2015, when legends Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne headlined the Cricket All-Stars Series finale at the Dodger Stadium.
The star-studded T20 cricket match at the Dodger Stadium, home of Major League Baseball (MLB) team Los Angeles Dodgers, was the final game of the three-match Cricket All-Stars Series between Sachin’s Blasters and Warne’s Warriors.
Despite the lack of a top-tier professional cricket league in Los Angeles in 2015, the match attracted around 20,900 fans, highlighting the sport's potential in the United States.
The Leo Magnus Cricket Complex (LMCC), LA’s primary cricket venue, had previously hosted international fixtures but the star-studded T20 match at Dodgers Stadium marked a new high for cricket in the city.
The 2015 Cricket All-Stars Series finale was played at the Dodger Stadium, home of MLB team Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Warriors had won the first two matches in New York and Houston, respectively, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Cricket All-Stars Series.
The three-match series featured retired cricket icons from around the world.
Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run-scorer in international cricket, led the Blasters alongside Virender Sehwag, Mahela Jayawardene, Sourav Ganguly and Muthiah Muralitharan.
Warne’s Warriors boasted talents like Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Allan Donald.
The Blasters won the toss and batted first. Tendulkar rolled back the years and struck a 55-run opening partnership with Sehwag, who was out after scoring a 15-ball 27.
In the third over, Sehwag provided one of the memorable moments, smashing South African legend Allan Donald for a six over mid-wicket while humming to the tune of a Bollywood song.
Tendulkar was dismissed for a 27-ball 56 but the trio of Jayawardene (41 off 18), Ganguly (50 off 37) and Carl Hooper (33* off 22) guided the Blasters to an imposing 219/5 in 20 overs. Daniel Vettori was the Warriors’ most effective bowler, picking up three wickets.
In the run chase, Warriors’ opening pair Hayden (12) and Michael Vaughan (0) were dismissed early.
Kallis (47 off 23) and Kumar Sangakkara’s (42 off 21), backed by Andrew Symonds (31 off 19) and Ponting (43 off 25), ensured the Warriors kept the scoreboard ticking.
With two runs needed in two balls, Warne, facing his first delivery, swept Sehwag for a six to complete the run chase and seal the series 3-0.
South African all-rounder Kallis was awarded the Player of the Match while Sangakkara of Sri Lanka, who notched 153 runs in three games, was the Player of the Series.
Cricket’s connection with Los Angeles has come a long way since the All-Stars Series.
At the 141st International Olympic Committee Session in October 2023, cricket’s entry into the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics programme was formalised. The T20 format of cricket is one of the five new sports added to the Olympic programme for LA28.
In recent years, cricket has garnered popularity in the United States. The country hosted 16 group-stage matches in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including a high-octane India vs Pakistan encounter in New York.
The USA team pulled off a massive win over former champions Pakistan in what turned out to be the biggest upset of the 2024 ICC World Cup and a testament to the growing popularity and quality of their cricket team.
USA’s Major League Cricket, a franchise T20 competition, has global stars like Pat Cummins, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell playing alongside American cricketers.
Women’s cricket will make its Olympic debut at LA28 while men’s cricket will feature for the second time, after a gap of 128 years. Great Britain stumped France for the gold medal in a one-off match in cricket’s only appearance at Paris 1900.