Dambulla favourites against first-timers Colombo

Colombo Captain Charith Asalanka and Dambulla Captain Dhananjaya de Silva with the NSL 4-Day League trophy

• NSL 4-Day Tournament final commences today

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The two teams that have made it to the final of the National Super League (NSL) 4-Day Tournament, which commences at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium today, have different contrasts in their history within the competition.

Dambulla are into their third final, while Colombo have reached the final for the first time in the tournament’s five-year history. Having lost the final to Galle last year, Dambulla, who last won the title in 2022-23, will want to make amends by winning it on this occasion.

As the only unbeaten team, Dambulla, led by Sri Lanka Test Captain Dhananjaya de Silva, start off as strong favourites. They have Test players like Vishwa Fernando and Akila Dananjaya in their ranks. In Anjala Bandara they have the tournament’s second highest run-getter with 293 runs (avg. 73.25) with one century and two fifties, and three other batsmen who have topped the 200-run mark – Lasith Croospulle (205), Nishan Madushka (204), and Kavin Bandara (203). All three of them have a century under their belt.

In bowling, Dambulla have been dominant. Seamer Kavindu Pathiratne tops the list with 11 wickets (avg. 19.45), supported by spinners Akila Dananjaya and Shakthi Udara, who have 9 wickets each.

“To a great extent, our success has been the players knowing what their responsibilities are. They have combined it well with their experience,” said Chamara Silva, the Dambulla coach who is handling a team in the NSL 4-Day Tournament for the first time. His last assignment was being coach to the Sri Lanka Under-19 team. 

“In the NSL, I don’t have a big role to play in coaching, only to assist the players in whatever areas they need assistance. There is no necessity to make any big changes. In the tournament, if you take our team, we have scored five centuries and there have been two instances of five wickets in an innings. We have played very good cricket to come to this stage.”

Silva believes that the outcome of the final will be decided by the batsmen. Dambulla have played two of their three League matches at this venue and are quite familiar with the conditions.

Chamara Silva (Dambulla coach)	Thilina Kandamby (Colombo coach)

“The majority of the matches in the tournament have been dominated by the batsmen and the pitches have also been in their favour. There is no big pressure on the players. They have to play their normal game and continue to do what they have been doing till now,” Silva added.

Dambulla skipper de Silva said that they want to make amends for their loss in the final last year to Galle. “We have had some good performances in the past three weeks. I hope we can continue that and go and win the final.”  

Colombo is not blessed with the experience that Dambulla has, but in coach Thilina Kandamby, they have someone who is familiar with the Dambulla outfit, having been their coach in the recent past.

“Man to man, Dambulla has a better side,” said Kandamby. “We are not the favourites—that’s also good because being the underdogs, there’s no pressure for us. If someone scores a double hundred or takes 4-5 wickets, it can change the game. The boys are very confident.”

Kandamby said although it is a final, the boys will need to play their normal game. 

“There are some players who are good for the big games and know how to handle the pressure of a final—players like Charith (Asalanka), Janith (Liyanage), and even (Ravindu) Rasantha, who is short of runs this year. He might come up with a good hundred.”

The absence of any big names and superstars in the team, Kandamby said, was a plus factor for his team.

“Except for the first game that Charith played, only Janith (Liyanage) is with us. All the others have been involved in club tournaments. There is no ego and that’s one of positives. The boys fought really hard after losing the first match to Dambulla and Janith has led the team very well in the absence of Charith.”

Liyanage is Colombo’s main run-getter with 280 runs (avg. 70) with one century and one fifty. 

Asalanka, who is back to lead Colombo in the final after a stint in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), said: “This being our first appearance in a final is a good opportunity for Colombo to win it. Playing Dambulla in the final is a big challenge. We want to plan it out session by session and try to win the final.” 

“There are a few youngsters whom I am very impressed with, like Sharujan Shanmuganathan and Kavija Gamage. Playing in his first first-class game, Kavija got a good 80, took one wicket, and held onto two good catches. I think he has a bright future in front of him. Maybe the red ball is not the right version for him because with his power, he will be a useful white-ball player. Sharu is a very well-organised player. He takes a bit of time to get set and he has good hands in his wicket-keeping.”

Kandamby said the return of Pramod Madushan after national duty was the difference in their last game. “The Dambulla wickets were really flat and it needed something special to take wickets (4/36 and 1/41) and Pramod did that.”

“Sri Lanka’s premier bowler Prabath Jayasuriya is with us. He has not been amongst the wickets because of the conditions and the wickets being really flat. An experienced bowler like him, we expect him to do something in the final.”

Sri Lanka fast bowler Kasun Rajitha is unavailable having to sit out the final with a groin strain and in his place, Colombo may play leg spinner Dushan Hemantha.

“A youngster whom I am very impressed with is Chamod Battage. He is a little bit of fast and furious. A Dilhara Fernando type of bowler, slightly expensive but he takes wickets. He has pace of 140 plus,” said Kandamby. Battage has taken the most wickets for Colombo, his nine costing 19.88.