Class of Babar Azam too much for Galle Titans

Babar Azam led the Colombo Strikers run chase with a classy century

Pathum Nissanka (54) partnered Babar Azam in an opening stand of 111

Tim Siefert plays to leg during his knock of 54* for Galle Titans

 Galle Titans got off to a great start with Lasith Croopulle and Shevon Daniel posting 87 for the first wicket

• Leads Colombo Strikers to victory in real humdinger

The class of Babar Azam, the Pakistan captain proved too much for Galle Titans as they went down to Colombo Strikers by seven wickets in a real humdinger of a match of the Lanka Premier League played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Despite Babar’s exceptional innings of 104 off 59 balls (8 fours, 5 sixes) Colombo still had a fight on their hands to get to Galle’s tall score of 188-3, and it required the skills of another Pakistani player to get them across the line. Following Babar’s dismissal off the first ball of the final over, Mohammad Nawaz, renowned for his big hitting, took upon himself to finish the match on his own. He had not produced anything of note in the LPL so far but yesterday with 14 required off the last five balls he took on Kasun Rajitha scoring a couple each off the second and third balls and smiting him for a six and a four off the next two to finish the match off in style with a ball to spare. The win was the third highest successful run chase and Babar became only the second batsman after West Indian Chris Gayle to score ten centuries in T20 cricket. Gayle leads the way with 22.

Colombo’s win saw all five teams in the competition equal on four points each after four matches with two wins and two losses. It was not an easy run chase for Colombo, but Pathum Nissanka and Babar set the platform with an opening partnership of 111 off 75 balls. A feature of their batting was the brilliant running between the wickets. Nissanka scored his first fifty of the current tournament – 54 off 40 balls (5 fours, 1 six) before holing out Tabraiz Shamsi who also picked up Nuwanidu Fernando’s wicket to finish with figures of 2/27. Galle were left to rue the two chances they squandered in dismissing Babar at 89. Richard Ngarava missed a return catch and off the next delivery Pasindu Sooriyabandara dropped him at short third man. Babar’s century was the first of the present tournament and the fourth overall.       

Two extravagant partnerships of 87 saw Galle Titans invited to bat first run up a challenging total of 188-3, their third total in excess of 180 in four matches. The stage for that total was set by the Galle openers Lasith Croopulle and Shevon Daniel who raced to 87 off 47 balls, 67 of those runs coming in the first power play which saw nine fours and two sixes being struck. Playing with a lot of freedom and piercing the gaps regularly the pair had the Colombo bowlers on their knees. The introduction of Lakshan Sandakan as the sixth bowler got them the initial breakthrough when Croospulle attempting a reverse sweep was bowled off his gloves for 36 scored off 19 deliveries (4 fours, 2 sixes).

Colombo had another wicket in the next over when Ramesh Mendis trapped Daniel lbw for 49 scored off 31 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes). Those two wickets somewhat brought the run rate which was hovering over 10 an over to eight. But Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Tim Seifert kept the run rate ticking once again with some bold hitting as they put together another partnership of 87 off 58 balls. Rajapaksa, not his usual flamboyant self, lost his wicket at 30 off 31 balls (2 fours) when Naseem Shah coming for a new spell yorked his leg stump. Seifert thumped four fours and three sixes as he completed his second fifty in the tournament – 54* off 35 balls. Colombo had their chances of restricting Galle to a much lower total but lapses on the field prevented them from doing so. Croospulle was dropped by Babar Azam at 14 in the third over at cover and Seifert survived a run out chance at 25 when Colombo captain Niroshan Dickwella dislodged the bails before the ball was returned. – (ST)    

Scores:

 Galle Titans 188-3 (20) (Lasith Croospulle 36, Shevon Daniel 49, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 30, Tim Seifert 54*)

Colombo Strikers 189-3 (19.5) (Pathum Nissanka 54, Babar Azam 104, Tabraiz Shamsi 2/27)