Galle Gladiators beat Colombo Stars by 25 runs in the 7th match of Lanka Premier League 2022 played today (11th December) at Sooriyawewa International Cricket Stadium.
Having won the toss, Galle Gladiators’ skipper Kusal Mendis opted to bat first with 2 changes to their playing XI from the previous game. Gladiators brought in Lahiru Udara and Lakshan Sandakan to replace Movin Subasingha and Pulina Tharanga. On the other hand, Colombo Stars fielded the same team.
Galle Gladiators (Playing XI): Thanuka Dabare, Kusal Mendis(c), Nuwanidu Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan(w), Imad Wasim, Nuwan Pradeep, Nuwan Thushara, Wahab Riaz, Lakshan Sandakan
Colombo Stars (Playing XI): Niroshan Dickwella(w), Angelo Mathews(c), Navod Paranavithana, Charith Asalanka, Ravi Bopara, Dinesh Chandimal, Karim Janat, Dominic Drakes, Suranga Lakmal, Jeffrey Vandersay, Naveen-ul-Haq
Galle Gladiators stared pretty well with their opening pair Mendis and Dabare setting the base with a 50-ball 75-run stand for the first wicket. After their dismissals, Colombo Stars got back to the contest as their spinners slowed down things in the middle phase of the innings taking wickets at regular intervals.
Udara who came to bat at 3 for the Gladiators anchored the innings with an unbeaten 45 runs off 30 balls with 5 fours and a six, but it was Nuwanidu Fernando’s cameo of 29 runs off 16 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes that pushed the Gladiators to a more than competitive score of 174 in the allotted 20 overs.
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In reply, Colombo Stars never really got going in the run-chase. Galle’s new ball bowlers Riaz and Thushara hardly offered any freebies taking a wicket apiece in the powerplay phase. The off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmed nipped out the two left-handers Paranavithana and Asalanka reducing Colombo Stars to 47/4.
The opening batter Dickwella and Bopara showed some resistance stitching a 78-run partnership for the 5th wicket. Dickwella went onto score his 2nd consecutive half-century of the tournament but the asking rate kept climbing.
Chandimal and Bopara threw caution to the wind at the end and there were a couple of big overs, but Galle bowlers were outstanding with their variations at the death overs and ensured that Colombo got nowhere close to the target. With this victory, Galle Gladiators registered their first win of the tournament.
Brief Scores
Galle Gladiators – 174/6 (20) Lahiru Udara 45*, Kusal Mendis 39, Thanuka Dabare 36, Nuwanidu Fernando 29, Jeffrey Vandersay 2/31
Colombo Stars – 149/7 (20) Niroshan Dickwella 58*, Ravi Bopara 46, Iftikhar Ahmed 2/12, Wahab Riaz 2/21, Nuwan Pradeep 2/52
Result – Galle Gladiators won by 25 runs
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanuka Dabare | c & b Jeffrey Vandersay | 36 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Kusal Mendis | c Niroshan Dickwella b Ravi Bopara | 39 | 27 | 5 | 2 | 144.44 |
| Lahiru Udara | not out | 45 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 150.00 |
| Azam Khan | c Suranga Lakmal b Nawod Paranavithana | 8 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 61.54 |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | b Jeffrey Vandersay | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Nuwanidu Fernando | c Jeffrey Vandersay b Naveen Ul Haq | 29 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 181.25 |
| Imad Wasim | c Karim Janat b Dominic Drakes | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Wahab Riaz | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | 8 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 1, w 5, pen 0) |
| Total | 174/6 (20 Overs, RR: 8.7) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angelo Mathews | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8.00 | |
| Suranga Lakmal | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 10.50 | |
| Naveen Ul Haq | 4 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 10.25 | |
| Dominic Drakes | 3 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 10.67 | |
| Charith Asalanka | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7.00 | |
| Jeffrey Vandersay | 4 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 7.75 | |
| Ravi Bopara | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4.00 | |
| Nawod Paranavithana | 4 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niroshan Dickwella | not out | 58 | 44 | 8 | 0 | 131.82 |
| Angelo Mathews | c Kusal Mendis b Nuwan Thushara | 9 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 90.00 |
| Karim Janat | c Azam Khan b Wahab Riaz | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Nawod Paranavithana | b | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Charith Asalanka | c Kusal Mendis b Iftikhar Ahmed | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 71.43 |
| Ravi Bopara | c Kusal Mendis b Nuwan Pradeep | 46 | 35 | 2 | 3 | 131.43 |
| Dinesh Chandimal | c Imad Wasim b Nuwan Pradeep | 16 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 177.78 |
| Dominic Drakes | c Nuwanidu Fernando b Wahab Riaz | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Suranga Lakmal | not out | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Extras | 6 (b 0 , lb 0 , nb 0, w 6, pen 0) |
| Total | 149/7 (20 Overs, RR: 7.45) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imad Wasim | 4 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 6.00 | |
| Nuwan Thushara | 4 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 5.75 | |
| Nuwan Pradeep | 4 | 0 | 52 | 2 | 13.00 | |
| Wahab Riaz | 4 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 5.25 | |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | 2 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 6.00 | |
| Lakshan Sandakan | 2 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 8.50 | |
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