Yet again, Colombo Kings secured a thrilling win, chasing over 200 runs as they got the better of Dambulla Viiking in the 20th game and final league game of Lanka Premier League 2020.
Read More : Gladiators claim final semi-final berth
The Colombo Kings skipper, Angelo Mathews had the favour of the coin and decided to bowl first stating the dew factor later in the day.
Colombo gave a break to their two big guns while Dambulla made five changes in their XI.
Colombo Kings:
In – Himesh Ramanayake, Lahiru Udara
Out – Isuru Udana, Andre Russell
Dambulla Viiking:
In – Lahiru Kumara, Kavindu Nadeeshan, Malinda Pushpakumara, Pulina Tharanga and Anwar Ali
Out – Kasun Rajitha, Paul Stirling, Ramesh Mendis, Sudeep Tyagi, Dilshan Madushanka
Screaming start for Dambulla Viiking
The debutant, Himesh Ramanayake, opened the bowling for Colombo and he was taken on a ride from the word go. The right-arm seamer was scooted all around the park as he went for 17 runs in his first over.
The senior fast-bowler, Dushmantha Chameera, who has had a promising tournament so far, was also in the firing line as he was smashed for 16 runs in his first over.
The Viiking had a fruitful powerplay in which they smacked 59 runs.
Two-in-two for Qais
Afghan leg-spinner, Qais Ahmad struck a double blow early in the game for Colombo Kings by sending back Mr Consistent of Dambulla Viiking, Samit Patel, and the experienced Upul Tharanga in consecutive deliveries in the 5th over.
Angelo-Dickwella partnership
The duo simply put Dambulla on a rocket and lifted them to space. They put on a 94-run stand for the third wicket. Niroshan Dickwella struck 65 runs in his regular cheeky style, while Angelo Perera struck a swashbuckling 74 off 51 deliveries.
Dickwella tried to drag one from outside off to the mid-wicket boundary and ended up tossing a top-edge to third-man while Perera remained unbeaten at the end of the innings.
Read : Evans scores the first century of LPL
Evans picked up from where he left
Laurie Evans, who is in red-hot form, remains unbeaten on 161 not out in the tournament. Following his record-breaking knock of 108 runs in the last game, the Englishman kept on racking up runs to his tally effortlessly.
Unfortunately, Evans was hit in his stomach off a Lahiru Kumara delivery and had to retire hurt on 53 runs. Colombo were just starting to put pressure back on the Viiking when Evans had to walk off the field and that broke the rhythm allowing Dambulla to bounce back in by picking up 2 wickets within the next couple of overs.
Priyanjan and Thikshila closed in on the target
Following the two quick wickets, Ashan Priyanjan and Thikshila de Silva put on a vital 49-run partnership which put the Kings back on the map.
Thikshila hammered 31 runs in just 16 deliveries while Priyanjan played the anchor and steered his team in the right direction. He scored a cool 47 runs off 28 balls and remained unbeaten.
Qais stole the show!
The young Afghan leggie Ahmed was promoted up the order because of a niggle to the skipper, and boy, did he deliver!
Ahmad was brilliant with the ball as usual, earlier in the game, and when he walked out to bat the equation was 76 runs off 42 balls.
Ahmad and Priyanjan narrowed it down to 23 off 12. That’s when Ahmad said “enough with the foreplay, here we go!”. He carted Anwar Ali for 4 sixes in the penultimate over taking the Kings over the line with 7 balls to spare.
The Kings will play the first Semi-Final against Galle Gladiators on the 13th of November.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samit Patel | b Qais Ahmed | 26 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 200.00 |
| Niroshan Dickwella | c Dushmantha Chameera b Angelo Mathews | 65 | 40 | 9 | 1 | 162.50 |
| Upul Tharanga | lbw b Qais Ahmed | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Angelo Perera | not out | 74 | 51 | 7 | 2 | 145.10 |
| Dasun Shanaka | not out | 29 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 193.33 |
| Extras | 9 (b 3 , lb 1 , nb 0, w 5, pen 0) |
| Total | 203/3 (20 Overs, RR: 10.15) |
| Did not bat | Kavindu Nadeeshan, Pulina Tharanga, Samiullah Shinwari, Anwar Ali, Malinda Pushpakumara, Lahiru Kumara, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Himesh Ramanayake | 3 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 12.33 | |
| Angelo Mathews | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 5.00 | |
| Dushmantha Chameera | 4 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 12.25 | |
| Ashan Priyanjan | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 8.50 | |
| Qais Ahmed | 4 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 6.00 | |
| Tharindu Kaushal | 3 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 10.67 | |
| Thikshila de silva | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 15.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinesh Chandimal | c Samit Patel b Anwar Ali | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 30.00 |
| Daniel Bell Drummond | c Niroshan Dickwella b Malinda Pushpakumara | 14 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 127.27 |
| Lahiru Udara | lbw b Samit Patel | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Ashan Priyanjan | not out | 47 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 167.86 |
| Thikshila de silva | c Pulina Tharanga b Dasun Shanaka | 31 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 193.75 |
| Qais Ahmed | not out | 50 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 227.27 |
| Extras | 6 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 0, w 4, pen 0) |
| Total | 205/4 (18.5 Overs, RR: 10.88) |
| Did not bat | Laurie Evans, Angelo Mathews, Dushmantha Chameera, Tharindu Kaushal, Himesh Ramanayake, |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samit Patel | 4 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 7.75 | |
| Malinda Pushpakumara | 3 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 10.67 | |
| Lahiru Kumara | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 7.00 | |
| Anwar Ali | 3.5 | 0 | 56 | 1 | 16.00 | |
| Kavindu Nadeeshan | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9.00 | |
| Pulina Tharanga | 2 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 12.00 | |
| Dasun Shanaka | 2 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 10.00 | |
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