LPL: Galle Gladiators register thrilling victory against Kandy Warriors

Galle Gladiators pulled off a thrilling 4-wicket win over Kandy Warriors in the fourth fixture of the Lanka Premier League at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday. Chasing 144 to win, the Gladiators got over the line with four balls to spare when Lahiru Madushanka smashed the first two deliveries of the last over for a six and a four. The Galle Gladiators needed 26 off 14 balls when the seventh-wicket pair of Madushanka and Dhananjaya Lakshan came together, and what a breath-taking finish it turned out to be. Madushanka was unbeaten on 22 with 2 sixes and a boundary while Lakshan played a quick-fire unbeaten inning of 10 runs from 4 balls. Lakshan had also performed with the ball earlier in the match, picking up figures of 2/11.

Openers Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka make presence felt

The Gladiators got off to a great start as the openers Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka put up a partnership of 62 runs in 7.3 overs. Dhanushka Gunathilaka made 45 off 33 packed with 2 sixes and 4 fours and Kusal Mendis scored 16 off 21 with 2 fours. Skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa kept up the momentum with a brisk 22 off 13 hitting 2 fours and a six.

Earlier, Kandy Warriors posted a formidable total of 143 for 6 in their 20 overs. Ahmed Shehzad and Kamindu Mendis were the highlights of the Warriors’ batting card. Shehzad scored 56 off 51, while Mendis gathered 32 off 25. Samit Patel was the pick of the bowlers for the Gladiators with figures of 3/13. The Galle Gladiators are currently at the top of the table with 2 wins from 3 matches.

“I thought of bowling the last over because the track was spinning and with just six runs to get, thought it’s better to not concede six singles to a pacer and rather take a risk. These are the only spinners we have, so we tried our best. Fielding cost us the game today, if we were better in the field and had taken our catches, we might have won the game,” said Angelo Perera, the Kandy Warriors skipper as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Jaffna Kings crush Dambulla Giants by 8 wickets

Jaffna Kings registered a comprehensive 8-wicket victory over Dambulla Giants in the Lanka Premier League at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday. It was a king size finish by Thisara Perera’s team as they galloped to 114 for 2 in just 12.3 overs with Tom Kohler-Cadmore finishing on an unbeaten 45 off 30 balls. Shoaib Malik provided the final flourish, smashing 3 sixes in his innings of 26 runs from 10 balls.

Dambulla Giants could muster only 110 off 19.3 overs as Wanindu Hasaranga picked up figures of 3 for 16 and Maheesh Theekshana picked up figures of 3 for 22. Opening batsman Avishka Fernando set the tempo for Jaffna Kings with a 27-ball 33 innings. He strung a second wicket partnership of 63 with Kohler-Cadmore. Maheesh Theekshana was adjudged the Player of the match.