Hasaranga a big loss, but champs Jaffna aspire to remain T20 kings

Jaffna Kings are determined to retain the LPL title for a third year

• LPL-3 commences at Hambantota today with a double-header

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Jaffna Kings who won the inaugural edition of the Lanka Premier League as Jaffna Stallions and retained the title as Jaffna Kings will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins when they play last year’s losing finalist Galle Gladiators in the curtain-raiser match of the third edition at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in Hambantota today at 3 p.m. 

The opening day of the tournament sees a double-header as Colombo Stars are due to meet Kandy Falcons at the same venue commencing 7:30 p.m.

The biggest loss for the defending champions is star leg-spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga who has moved to Kandy Falcons and will be leading them, but nevertheless even without their match-winner Jaffna Kings who are led by former Sri Lanka white ball captain Thisara Perera for the third successive year are determined to make a major impact in the tournament this year.

Head coach Thilina Kandamby said: “Our success in the last two years was mainly the batting last year, and the first year we bowled well. This year we hope to perform with both bat and ball. Losing Wanindu is a big loss for us but it was his choice, so we have to respect that. Yet for all we can fight and compete well.”

Kandamby said they hope to fill Hasaranga’s absence with two young leg spinners Vijayakanth Vijaskanth and Suminda Lakshan. Apart from Hasaranga, Jaffna has also lost all-rounder Chaturanga de Silva (Hasaranga’s elder brother) and fast bowler Suranga Lakmal, but have obtained the services of Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Dilshan Madushanka, Binura Fernando, Asitha Fernando and Sadeera Samarawickrama.

“Wellalage, I want to him to do Chaturanga’s part. Chaturanga was doing a fantastic job for us in all three departments of the game. Wellalage hasn’t played a lot of T20 cricket for the moment. It will be a good exposure for him.”

Kandamby expects Avishka Fernando (returning from injury), Dhananjaya de Silva, Shoaib Malik, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Tom Kohler-Cadmore to make an impact in the tournament.

As for Galle Gladiators they have lost their captain of last year Bhanuka Rajapaksa which will be a big blow for them, but on the other hand the return of Kusal Perera after surgery on his injured shoulder should somewhat redress the balance. They also have Kusal Mendis who was Sri Lanka’s leading run scorer in the recently concluded T20 World Cup and six Pakistani players as their overseas recruits. Overall, Galle looks a little bit thin in their batting.  

LPL-3 will give former Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews the ideal platform to make a case in T20 cricket. Mathews said that he was baffled as to why he was not given the opportunity to play in the T20 invitational tournament played ahead of the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup selections.  

“I had a good 4-5 months of training and I was available to play in any format. Personally, I don’t want to play cricket to prove to anyone. If anybody wants to check they can always go into Cricinfo and look at my stats etc.,” said Mathews. 

“I am in a space where I just want to enjoy my cricket and give my best to the country. It’s up to the others to decide. I have worked hard on and off the field and on my fitness and I have been bowling as well. This is a good opportunity to go out there and express myself.”

Mathews who will be leading Colombo Stars said, “We got the experience and a good co-group of local and international players. If we play to our potential, we can definitely make it to the final, but we will concentrate on taking one game at a time. T20 is a funny game, one player can change the course of it in one or two overs.”

Colombo who has the experience of Dinesh Chandimal has been strengthened further with Niroshan Dickwella, Charith Asalanka, Suranga Lakmal and Kasun Rajitha joining them. Keemo Paul the West Indies all-rounder has replaced Romario Shepherd who had to leave due to a family emergency.

Former Sri Lanka spinner Piyal Wijetunge who has taken over as head coach of Kandy Falcons was optimistic about his team’s chances.

“We’ve got a pretty good side on the cards but all the other teams are also strong and stable. On the day the team that performs will win. It’s a T20 game so you just can’t make any predictions.”

Kandy has been boosted by the presence of Wanindu Hasaranga and also Pathum Nissanka who scored prolifically during the T20 World Cup. Hasaranga along with two other Sri Lankan all-rounders Chamika Karunaratne and Isuru Udana form a formidable combination for Kandy.  

“I have that advantage over the other teams, but they have got the services of foreign players where all-rounders are concerned,” said Wijetunge. “We have a balanced side, a mixture of six foreign players - four West Indians, Najibullah Zadran from Afghanistan and Zahoor Khan from UAE who has replaced Matheesha Pathirana. Pathirana suffered a hamstring injury during the T10 game in Abu Dhabi last week.”

There is also the big hitting Carlos Brathwaite from the West Indies. “On his day he can be a match-winner. It’s a plus for us having him in the side. We expect a lot from him.”