LPL 2022: Kandy beats Jaffna by 3 wickets in last ball thriller

Kandy beats Jaffna: Brilliant innings from Avishka Fernando and all-round performance from Dunith Wellalage went in vain as defending champion Jaffna Kings succumbed to a painful three-wicket defeat to Kandy Falcons in the sixth match of Lanka Premier League at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium at Pallekele on Saturday.

A nail biting finish here in Pallekele as the Kandy Falcons beat Jaffna Kings by three wickets.#LPLT20 #WinTogether #LPL2022 pic.twitter.com/EUdLQnSLt5

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) December 10, 2022

With this victory, Kandy Falcons stays on the top of the points table with three wins in three matches. Fans were treated to a thrilling game of cricket.

First Innings

Invited to bat first by Kandy, Kings was off to a fine start. Openers Avishka Fernando and Gurbaz played beautifully, finding gaps intelligently. Both the players added 38 runs in 24 balls. Fabian Allen dismissed Gurbaz for 16 runs. Dhananjaya De Silva was the next man up on the crease but Kandy Falcons skipper Wanindu Hasaranga didn’t let him settle and trapped him infront of the wicket for 10 runs. Samarawickrama contributed 10 runs before getting bowled to Allen. Hasaranga dismissed Avishka for 31 runs with assistance from Zahoor Khan.

Malik – Wellalage brings Kings back in game

Jaffna was at 80/4 in 12 overs, but 45 runs partnership between Shoaib Malik and Dunith Wellalage help Kings make a small comeback. Malik and Dunith contributed 28 and 20 respectively to help Jaffna post 147/7 on the board.

Second Innings

Chasing 148, the Kandy were off a shaky start. Zaman Khan gave an early wicket to Jaffna by dismissing Andre Fletcher for just 11, leaving the Kandy’s 18/1. Pathum Nissanka and Mendis stabilised the KF innings, putting on a stand of 36-runs. They caused a lot of trouble for Jaffna bowlers. James Fuller and Dunith brought back Jaffna in the game by breaking this stand, dismissing Mendis for 19 and Nissanka for 29.

With the score 79/3, Falcons needed another partnership, but they lost three more wickets adding just 17 runs to the total. Hasaranga fell to Dunith for 6, Allen for a duck on Vijaykanth’s beautiful delivery and Braithwaite on 3.Ashen Bandara and Chamika Karunaratne revived the hopes for the Falcons.

Last over thriller

Bandara retired out in the last over for 44 runs leaving behind 16 runs to chase in 6 balls. Chamika Karunaratne kept his composure in the final over, he hit the two sixes on the first two deliveries- one over the bowlers head and another towards the square third man. Falcons ran four singles off the final four balls to win the match by 3 wickets.

Man of the match- Chamika Karunaratne won the player of the match for his brilliant match winning innings of 26 runs in 16 balls.

Result: Kandy Falcons beat Jaffna Kings by three wickets in the Lanka Premier League.