Friday Sep 20, 2024
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Tuesday, 1 August 2023 02:56 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Galle Titans skipper Dasun Shanaka on the offensive during his innings of 42* off 21 balls
Kusal Perera on his return from injury scored 40 off 25 balls for Dambulla Aura
By Sa’adi Thawfeeq
Galle Titans led by Sri Lanka’s white ball skipper Dasun Shanaka pulled off a thrilling win in the Super Over against Dambulla Aura in a Lanka Premier League match played at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday.
At the completion of 20 overs, both teams were tied on 180 and in the one-over eliminator Dambulla scored 9/1 and Galle replied with 11-0 in three balls with Bhanuka Rajapaksa hitting the first ball off Binura Fernando for four and following a wide off the second ball finished the match off with a six off the third.
The inaugural LPL in 2020 saw Colombo Kings defeat Kandy Tuskers in a Super Over at Hambantota. Both teams tied on 219 at the end of the allotted 20 overs, but Colombo edged out Kandy by four runs scoring 16 in the one-over eliminator to Kandy’s 12.
It was a well-deserved win for Galle after Shanaka led from the front scoring a scorching 42* off 21 balls and then accounting for two big wickets of Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva in a comeback to form.
Shanaka who has been going through a lean patch with the bat struck timely form smashing four sixes and two fours as he contributed 42 of the 57 runs scored by Galle in the last five overs that took them to a challenging total of 180-5 after being invited to bat first by Dambulla.
Then returned with the ball to take the prize wickets of Kusal Perera (40 off 25 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) and Dhananjaya de Silva (43 off 31 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) to break a threatening 76-run stand to end Dambulla’s resistance.
But it was not quite over as Dambulla showed resolve in their batting taking the game to the wire with Australian Alex Ross bringing all his Big Bash experience into play scoring 39* off 28 balls (3 fours, 1 six) to ensure a tie as Dambulla finished on 180-7, forcing the game to go into a Super Over.
The impetus for Galle’s tall score was built on a 50-run second wicket stand off 33 balls between Shevon Daniel (33 off 26 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (48 off 34 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes). Galle temporarily lost their way when from 95-2 they slipped to 139-5 in the 18th over. But Shanaka’s blitzkrieg towards the end gave them a total to bowl at.
Dambulla got off to the worst possible start losing the wickets of Avishka Fernando (1) and Kusal Mendis (1) to be 2-2 in the second over, but De Silva and Kusal Perera, making a comeback from injury lifted the spirits of the team with their excellent partnership which kept their hopes alive as long as it lasted.
Scores
