The undefeated Jaffna Titans secured their place in the final with a victory over the Hambantota Bangla Tigers in Qualifier 1. The Tigers, however, bounced back in Qualifier 2, defeating the Galle Marvels to book their spot in the inaugural Lanka T10 Super League final.
Jaffna Titans vs Hambantota Bangla Tigers, Qualifier 1
After opting to bowl first, Isuru Udana struck early for the Bangla Tigers, removing Tom Kohler-Cadmore in the third over. Tharindu Ratnayake dismissed Charith Asalanka soon after, leaving the Titans at 53/2 in 5.2 overs.
Kusal Mendis carried his fine form from yesterday, combining with Tom Abell for a quick 22-ball half-century stand. Abell retired out, while skipper David Wiese’s late flourish helped the Titans post 124/4. Mendis top-scored with 47 before being run out on the final ball.
Chasing 125, the Tigers faltered early, losing their top three for just 8 runs. Despite starts from the middle order, they couldn’t match the required rate. Once again, Traveen Mathew proved his worth with another 4-wicket haul which sealed a convincing 39-run win, taking the undefeated Jaffna Titans to the final.
Brief Scores:
Jaffna Titans 124/4 (10) Kusal Mendis 47, Tom Abell 23, David Wiese 18*, Tharindu Ratnayake 1/18
Hambantota Bangla Tigers 85 (9.3) Isuru Udana 23, Treveen Mathew 4/13, Pramod Madushan 2/15, Nuwan Thushara 1/14
Result – Jaffna Titans won by 39 runs.
Galle Marvels vs Kandy Bolts, Eliminator
Batting first, Kandy Bolts posted 120/4 in their 10 overs, powered by strong contributions from their top order. George Munsey, back among the runs, smashed 61 off 27 balls with 5 fours and 4 sixes. Dinesh Chandimal added 30 off 14 balls before retiring hurt.
In reply, Galle Marvels lost both openers within the first two overs but quickly raced to 26. Bhanuka Rajapaksa set the tone with a 21-ball 42, while Shakib Al Hasan’s quick-fire unbeaten 29 sealed the Marvels’ place in Qualifier 2.
Brief Scores
Kandy Bolts 120/4 (10) George Munsey 61, Dinesh Chandimal 30, Binura Fernando 1/15, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 1/16
Galle Marvels 124/4 (8.4) Bhanuka Rajapaksa 41, Shakib Al Hasan 29*, Lahiru Udara 19, Chathuranga de Silva 2/6
Result – Galle Marvels won by 6 wickets.
Hambantota Bangla Tigers vs Galle Marvels, Qualifier 2
Choosing to bowl first, the Hambantota Bangla Tigers restricted the Galle Marvels to 35/5 in 4.2 overs, with all the specialist batters back in the hut. However, Movin Subasingha rescued the innings with a brutal knock down the order. His unbeaten 14-ball 32 took the Marvels to 90/9 at the end of their innings. Eshan Malinga led the bowling effort, picking up 3 wickets for just 10 runs.
Defending 90, Maheesh Theekshana provided the perfect start, dismissing Mohammad Shahzad and Sabbir Rahman in the very first over with no run on the board. However, the Marvels couldn’t strike regularly to maintain pressure on their opponents. Shevon Daniel’s 36 off 17 balls anchored the chase, with quick cameos from Kusal Perera and Dasun Shanaka sealing the Tigers’ victory. They now advance to the Final, where they will face the Jaffna Titans tomorrow for the inaugural Lanka T10 title, starting at 5:30 PM in Pallekele.
Brief Scores:
Galle Marvels 90/9 (10) Movin Subasingha 32*, Eshan Malinga 3/10, Tharindu Rathnayake 2/13, Dhananjaya Lakshan 2/14, Isuru Udana 2/17
Hambantota Bangla Tigers 94/6 (7) Shevon Daniel 36, Kusal Perera 22, Dasun Shanaka 20, Maheesh Theekshana 2/13, Zahoor Khan 2/9
Result – Hambantota Bangla Tigers won by 4 wickets.