Jaffna remain Kings of LPL

Champions for a third successive time Jaffna Kings with the Lanka Premier League trophy

Avishka Fernando held the Jaffna Kings batting together with his third 50 of the tournament

Dinesh Chandimal and Charith Asalanka gave Colombo Stars a good start with a stand of 75 

off 53 balls

• Beat gallant Colombo Stars in a thriller

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

In one of the most exciting finals Jaffna remained Kings of the Lanka Premier League when they beat a gallant Colombo Stars by two wickets with four balls to spare to retain the title for the third time at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday in front of a 20,000 strong crowd.

It was not an easy win for the defending champions so to say as Colombo came back strongly in the latter stages of the match to snatch four wickets for eight runs to reduce Jaffna to 158-7 chasing 164 for victory.

With six required off the last over, Thisara Perera, the captain smacked the first ball bowled by Kasun Rajitha for four to bring the equation down to two runs off two balls. But he was out off the next ball heaving towards midwicket where Dominic Drakes held onto an astonishing catch under pressure. 

Rajitha’s next ball ended the match when he bowled a wide down the leg side and the two batsmen Binura Fernando and Vijakanth Vijaskanth ran a single as the wicket-keeper fumbled with the ball.

Jaffna calculated the chase to perfection with Rahmanullah Gurbaz blazing away as he usually does at the top with 36 off 18 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes). After his dismissal, Avishka Fernando and Sadeera Samarawickrama kept Jaffna in the hunt with a stand of 72 off 49 balls. 

Following Samarawickrama’s departure for a cultured knock of 44 off 27 balls (6 fours, 1 six), Fernando hung around to complete his third fifty of the tournament, (50 off 43 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) and take his aggregate over the 300-run mark. By the time he fell at 153 in the 19th over, Jaffna’s chase was down to manageable proportions, and despite Colombo making a strong comeback, Jaffna’s experience prevailed in the end. In spite of the defeat which would have been a bitter pill to swallow Colombo can be proud of their achievement for pushing Jaffna to the limit. They came up with an unbelievably competitive total of 163-5. 

Dinesh Chandimal (49 off 40 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) and Charith Asalanka (31 off 23 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) put on 75 off 53 balls after the early loss of Nishan Madushka for one, but Jaffna hit back in the middle overs through spinners Dunith Wellalage, Vijayakanth Vijaskanth and Maheesh Theekshana to pull the game back at 102-3 in 15 overs. 

For Colombo, Ravi Bopara was the key at the death as he with the aid of Mohammad Nabi (15 off 9 balls) ensured they finished strong with 61 runs coming off the last five overs. Bopara struck three sixes and one four in his unbeaten 47 off 33 balls.

Avishka Fernando took the Player of the Match award and Sadeera Samarawickrama the Player of the Series award.

Scores

nColombo Stars 163-5 (20) (Dinesh Chandimal 49, Charith Asalanka 31, Ravi Bopara 47*)

nJaffna Kings 164-8 (19.2) (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 36, Avishka Fernando 50, Sadeera Samarawickrama 44, Suranga Lakmal 3/23)