Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

BKG Mendis
BKG Mendis
51(43) 5x4 - 0x6
Control %86%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull
  • 15 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
9 0 13 2 7 1 1 18
Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik
30(27) 2x4 - 0x6
Control %89%
  • Productive Shot
  • cover drive
  • 7 runs
  • 1x4 - 0x6
5 0 3 2 9 3 3 5

Best performances - Bowlers

B Fernando
O3
M1
R22
W3
Eco7.33
RHB
OFFLEG
2W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
Iftikhar Ahmed
Iftikhar Ahmed
O1
M0
R8
W2
Eco8.00
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Scorer: Ranjith P | Commentator: Shashwat Kumar

And, that will be a wrap from us for this game. But don't worry, the action comes thick and fast at this year's LPL, with Colombo Stars taking on Kandy Falcons in a few minutes' time. Till then, this is me (Shashwat) on behalf of Ranjith, signing off. Goodbye, take care!

Thisara Perera, Jaffna Kings captain: I am trusting my bowlers because I feel this wicket was a little sticky. I know I have wonderful bowlers. (On the pressure of being defending champions) This is another tournament and we are going game by game.

Kusal Mendis, Galle Gladiators captain: (Where did it go wrong) Opening partnership was good but after that we lost a lot of wickets. That is why we made 138 look like a big score. Earlier, it was easy to bat against the new ball. As the ball got old, it was tough to play normal shots. The wicket was a little slow and that is why we lost wickets in the middle.

Dunith Wellalage, Player of the Match: (On your performance) I was trying to play my normal game. My teammates gave me great support, as did my team management. I tried to keep things simple. The wicket was turning so I always tried to do my normal bowling.

Right. Time for the post-match presentation.

6:45pm Phew, that was some game! It ebbed and flowed throughout and up until the final five overs, it was anybody's game. The Gladiators were perhaps better in both powerplays and in the death overs of the first innings. But when it mattered, especially in the middle overs of the run-chase, the Kings came up trumps. They rode on their young spin duo of Viyaskanth and Wellalage, who caused the Gladiators all sorts of problems with their flight, drift and dip. The wicket also aided their endeavours and once Theekshana came back to outwit Mendis in the 16th over, the writing was on the wall for last year's runners-up. This contest, if anything, proved why the Jaffna Kings have won two LPL titles on the bounce and how they are equipped to win different types of games. Word has to go out to Wellalage too, whose cameo in the first innings possibly ended up being the difference today.

As for the Gladiators, there were plenty of positives, most notably how they bowled and how Mendis batted, despite being up against a turning track. Their bowling unit also did largely well, with Imad Wasim and Wahab among the wickets. On the night, though, it was not enough.

END OF OVER:
20 | (wicket maiden) | GG: 113/10 (25 runs required, RR: 5.65)

  • Pulina Tharanga1 (4b)
  • Binura Fernando3-1-22-3
  • James Fuller4-0-19-1
19.6
W
B Fernando to Thushara, OUT, another wicket to polish off what has turned out to be a convincing win in the end! Length delivery on leg stump that hurtles through. Thushara has a nibble at it, more in hope than anything else, and feathers it through to the keeper. An apt way to cap off an outstanding bowling display! This is also the lowest total that has been defended at this venue in the history of the LPL!

N Thushara c sub (†S Samarawickrama) b B Fernando 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Thushara comes out to face the final ball

19.5
W
B Fernando to Pradeep, OUT, straight to the fielder at long on! Back of a length delivery on leg stump. Pradeep backs away and finally gets some decent contact. Such is his luck, though, that he arrows it straight down long on's throat. Been that kind of a day with the bat for the Gladiators!

N Pradeep c Shoaib Malik b B Fernando 1 (7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 14.28

19.4
0
B Fernando to Pradeep, no run, a carbon copy of the previous delivery. Dug into the track and it cramps Pradeep for room. He tries to smash it away but is too late on the stroke
19.3
0
B Fernando to Pradeep, no run, banged into the track at the batter on leg stump. Pradeep, well, has another swipe at it, and misses

Four sixes needed to tie the game now

19.2
0
B Fernando to Pradeep, no run, another back of a length delivery outside off stump. Pradeep has another wild swing at it and only swats away a few flies in the process

Galle 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st58BKG MendisMNK Fernando
2nd5BKG MendisAzam Khan
3rd6BKG MendisM Subasingha
4th10Iftikhar AhmedBKG Mendis
5th18Imad WasimBKG Mendis
6th3Imad WasimS Ashan
7th8Imad WasimDHAP Tharanga
8th4Wahab RiazDHAP Tharanga
9th1N PradeepDHAP Tharanga
10th0DHAP TharangaN Thushara