Dambulla Giants shot out for lowest total of the LPL-69

Maheesh Theekshana started the Dambulla Giants collapse with two wickets in the opening over

• Domineering Jaffna becomes first team to qualify for play-offs 

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The most dominant side in the ongoing Lanka Premier League, Jaffna Kings, became the first to qualify for the play-offs when they scored a resounding seven wickets win over Dambulla Giants in the only match played yesterday at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

In a top of the table clash, Dambulla were bamboozled by Jaffna’s all-spin attack to be dismissed for the lowest ever score in the history of the tournament – 69 off 14.1 overs. It was the first time that a team had been dismissed for a total less than 100 in the tournament which is in its second year.

The defending champions Jaffna strolled to victory on the back of a cavalier knock of 37 off 18 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) from Wanindu Hasaranga promoted to No. 3 in the batting, reaching their target off 9.2 overs with Avishka Fernando finishing off the match in style with a six.

Jaffna who lost the first game have won the next five in convincing fashion to give notice to the rest of the teams that they are the side to beat.

Maheesh Theekshana started the Dambulla rout with two wickets in the first over and there was no looking back from there onwards as the rest of the spinners got into the act to make life a misery for the Dambulla batsmen. 

There was something in the pitch for the bowlers and the Jaffna spinners exploited it to the full. However, that did not mean that Dambulla could have batted as badly as they did. They did not assess the conditions and the behaviour of the pitch and made it an easy outing for the bowlers.

Theekshana with three wickets and Player of the Match Chaturanga de Silva with career best figures of 4 for 16 were the key wicket-takers for Jaffna who despite having two seamers in their line up in Jayden Seales and Usman Shinwari, persisted with their spinners with Hasaranga, Shoaib Malik and Ashen Bandara taking a wicket each.

What was supposed to be a closely fought out match between the top two sides eventually turned out to be a damp squib. 

Scores

• Dambulla Giants 69 (14.1) (Phil Salt 23, Maheesh Theekshana 3/21, Chaturanga de Silva 4/16)
• Jaffna Kings 71-3 (9.2) (Avishka Fernando 22*, Wanindu Hasaranga 37, Imran Tahir 2/21)

Wanindu Hasaranga accelerated Jaffna Kings’ run chase with a cameo knock of 37 off 18 balls

Chaturanga de Silva of Jaffna Kings took a career best 4/16 to win the Player of the Match award