Mendis, Rossouw batting spectacle gives Jaffna fourth LPL title

Jaffna Kings players rejoice their fourth LPL victory​

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Jaffna Kings regained the Lanka Premier League (LPL) crown when they won it for the fourth time in five years, beating Galle Marvels by a comprehensive margin of nine wickets with 26 balls to spare in an intensely contested final played to a packed house of 27,180 spectators at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Chasing a target of 185, Kusal Mendis and Rilee Rossouw put on a sensational piece of batsmanship as they blazed away to victory in just 15.4 overs to provide a fitting finish to a high-quality season of cricket. Jaffna lost Pathum Nissanka to the first ball of the chase, but it only brought two in-form batsmen together and what a show they put on, overshadowing Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s brilliant knock of 82 off 34 balls and the spectacular drone show which took place during the change of innings.

Rossouw smashed his way to the fastest century in LPL history off 44 balls, his second hundred of the current tournament, while Mendis followed his unbeaten century in Qualifier 2 against Kandy Falcons on Saturday with a blistering 72*. The pair mounted a brutal assault on the Galle bowlers, setting up a new record partnership for any wicket in the LPL of 185* off 93 balls, beating the 163 by Shevon Daniel and Jordan Cox for Dambulla Aura v Galle Gladiators at the same venue in 2022. 

Rossouw also became the first player to score a century in an LPL final. He finished on 106* off 53 balls (9 fours, 7 sixes) and Mendis 72* off 40 balls (8 fours, 2 sixes).

Without doubt, Rossouw won the Player of the Final award and was also the Player of the Tournament. During the awards presentation, Rossouw said what spurred him on to the century was the altercation that he had with Bhanuka Rajapaksa on the field when Galle was batting.

“People that know me don’t abuse me. It’s part of the game. Just puts me more in the zone. Thankfully it came off today,” said Rossouw.

The incident took place in the 18th over when Rajapaksa tried to steal a second run after being hit on the body by a throw from the fielder. Although Rajapaksa apologised, a few words were exchanged between him and Rossouw who was clearly unhappy and had an animated chat with umpire Kumar Dharmasena who had a word with Jaffna skipper Charith Asalanka as well.

One must spare a thought for Rajapaksa, whose 82 off 34 balls (8 fours, 6 sixes) revived Galle from the dead when they were 86-4 after 12 overs, to give them a total to bowl at. But Mendis and Rossouw put on an all-time stand to crush the dreams Galle may have harboured of a first-title win. This was Galle’s third LPL final and they had lost all of them to Jaffna.

For Charith Asalanka, the Jaffna skipper, it was a perfect start to his career as Sri Lanka’s newly appointed T20 captain replacing Wanindu Hasaranga.

“First time captaining in the LPL and to lift the trophy is an amazing feeling,” said Asalanka. “It’s all about professional individual performance. They looked after themselves. I’m speechless with their batting. First wicket went first ball and Rilee and Kusal were outstanding.”

Scores:

Galle Marvels 184-6 (20) (Tim Seifert 47, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 82, Jason Behrendorff 2/18, Asitha Fernando 3/35)

Jaffna Kings 185-1 (15.4) (Kusal Mendis 72*, Rilee Rossouw 106*)

Rilee Roussouw and Kusal Mendis during their record breaking partnership of 185* off 93 balls 

Rilee Roussouw celebrates his century in the LPL final

Bhanuka Rajapaksa turns it on for Galle Marvels with a spellbinding knock of 82 off 34 balls