Spinners Shadab Khan, Wellalage strike it rich for Colombo Strikers

Muhammad Waseem and Sadeera Samarawickrama added 78 off just 37 balls for Colombo Strikers

• Shadab second bowler to perform a hat-trick in LPL history

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Colombo Strikers’ Shadab Khan became only the second bowler in LPL history to perform the hat-trick

Dunith Wellalage took four Colombo wickets to ensure a swift end to their innings

In a sensational twist to the game Colombo Strikers hit hard at defending champions Kandy Falcons capturing six wickets for seven runs off 12 balls to win their opening match of the Lanka Premier League by 51 runs, in the second double-header played at the Pallekele Cricket Stadium yesterday.

At one stage Kandy seemed to have the game in the bag chasing 199 at 140-4 in the 14th over with Angelo Mathews and Wanindu Hasaranga going great guns in a stand of 60 in 31 balls following an aggressive approach by Andre Fletcher and Dinesh Chandimal at the top. But leg-spinner Shadab Khan turned the game on its head with a hat-trick that saw Kandy collapse to 147 in 15.5 overs. Shadab first got rid of the dangerous looking Angelo Mathews for 25, and in the next over sent back Wanindu Hasaranga (caught), Aga Salman (bowled) and Pavan Ratnayake (lbw) to complete the second hat-trick in the history of the LPL. Hasaranga was the first bowler to do so ironically for Colombo Strikers against Kandy Falcons in 2022. Shadab finished with figures of 4/22 to take the Player of the Match award.

However he was not alone in demolishing the Kandy batting for young left-armer Dunith Wellalage proved an ideal foil getting the initial breakthrough for his side and finishing off the innings for figures of 4/20.

In an innings that ebbed and flowed Colombo ended on an above par total of 198-7 as they took 61 runs off the final five overs. Following a rollicking start Colombo lost some early wickets before Sadeera Samarawickrama (48 off 26 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) and Muhammed Waseem (32 off 18) put on 78 off 37 balls. But the fall of three quick wickets including a double-wicket over from Hasaranga brought Kandy back into the game, but Colombo capitalised in the Power Blast overs and made full use of Kasun Rajitha’s waywardness to come up with a total that eventually proved to be more than enough.

TODAY’S MATCHES: Dambulla Sixers v Jaffna Kings (3 pm); Galle Marvels v Colombo Strikers (7:30 pm)

Scores: Colombo Strikers 198-7 (20) (Muhammad Waseem 32, Sadeera Samarawickrama 48, Thisara Perera 38, Shadab Khan 20, Chamika Karunaratne 25*, Kasun Rajitha 2/56, Wanindu Hasaranga 2/30)

Kandy Falcons 147 (15.5) (Dinesh Chandimal 38, Andre Fletcher 24, Wanindu Hasaranga 25, Angelo Mathews 25, Dunith Wellalage 4/20, Shadab Khan 4/22)