Greater Noida, Feb 26 (IANS): Pawan Negi's scintillating innings of 139 runs off 56 balls led VVIP Uttar Pradesh to a commanding 45-run victory over Telangana Tigers in the sixth match of the ongoing Indian Veteran Premier League (IVPL) held at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, here on Monday.

The match was marked by the highly-anticipated return of ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle in IVPL, who received a warm reception from fans. Gayle's explosive knock of 94 runs from 46 balls, featuring three fours and 10 sixes, showcased his batting prowess, although it wasn't enough to secure victory for Telangana Tigers.

VVIP Uttar Pradesh scored a massive 269/4 in the allotted 20 overs and then restricted Telangana Tigers to 224/8 despite a Gayle masterclass.

Opting to bat first, VVIP Uttar Pradesh faced an early setback with the dismissal of Bhanu Seth in the opening over. However, Anshul Kapoor and Pawan Negi forged a formidable 182-run partnership for the second wicket. Kapoor contributed 71 runs off 45 balls, while Negi's aggressive innings included 16 fours and 8 sixes.

Despite the dismissals of Kapoor and Negi, VVIP Uttar Pradesh posted a formidable total of 269/4 in their allotted 20 overs, with skipper Suresh Raina also making a valuable contribution of 27 runs off 13 balls.

Chasing 270, Telangana Tigers got off to a bad start as they lost S.S. Bharath Kumar in the first over. The side kept the scoreboard ticking but also kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

From 12/1 to 58/5, the Telangana Tigers lost all five wickets inside the powerplay. But Gayle continued smashing sixes to keep the hopes alive. The left-handed batter took his side from 58/5 to 198/7.

After Gayle was dismissed, the target became a distant dream as Telangana required 54 from last over. VVIP Uttar Pradesh restricted Telangana Tigers to 224/8

Following this result, VVIP Uttar Pradesh is set to face Mumbai Champions on Wednesday, while Telangana Tigers will take on Chhattisgarh Warriors on Tuesday.