The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
This is Mohul Bhowmick signing off also on behalf of Bidipto Datta. We hope you enjoyed this game as much as we did bringing it to you. Until next time, ciao!
Kusal Mendis (Dambulla Aura captain): I am very happy with the way we played today. We need to keep this momentum going and move further ahead in this competition. All the boys performed really well.
Thisara Perera (Jaffna Kings captain): I guess these things happen, we have to take the learnings from this and move on. Our bowling is very strong but it is the batting that needs to click. We will address that surely, going forward.
Avishka Fernando has been adjudged the Player of the Match! Here is what he has to say.
Avishka Fernando: I enjoyed myself and even on a slower pitch, I did not mind playing my shots. Even against my former team, I did not hold myself back.
It is time now for the post-match presentation!
Dambulla Kings beat Jaffna Kings by 8 wickets!
Avishka Fernando 52 (32) | Binura Fernando 2-27 Charith Asalanka 56 (52) | Hayden Kerr 1-16
Dambulla Aura managed to quite comfortably chase this total down, without even having to break into a sweat. Their openers Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando got them off to a fabulous start, and ensured that they got going even though the surface was playing up a little.
However, it appeared as if the surface did not quite affect either Fernando or Mendis as they managed to punish the bowlers of Jaffna. This is the first time that Dambulla have beaten Jaffna in the Lanka Premier League.
Kusal Perera and Sadeera Samarawickrama ended things in style for Dambulla after both Mendis and Fernando departed in quick succession. This game will give Dambulla a lot of confidence and allow them to move on to Kandy for the next leg of this tournament.
The bowlers of Jaffna were not quite at their best, even their trump card Maheesh Theekshana, who turned 23 today. They will learn a lot from this outing and try to improve themselves ahead of their next fixtures.
Fabulous way to finish the game off by Perera! Dambulla seemed to be comfortable throughout!
16.2 Charith Asalanka to Kusal Perera, SIX TO FINISH THE MATCH! DAMBULLA AURA GET THEIR FIRST VICTORY! Good length ball on middle-stump. Kusal Perera brings out the reverse shot and middles it flat to get it over deep backward point for a maximum!
16.1 Charith Asalanka to Kusal Perera, round the wicket, full on off-and-middle. Tapped to short mid-wicket off the front foot, no run.
Charith Asalanka [1-0-8-0] is back into the attack.
Timeout!
Dambulla need just four runs to win but the timeout has still been taken. Theekshana, despite not picking up a wicket, has been economical in his last couple of overs.
16
overs
126/2score
1
0
0
0
0
1
runs
Kusal Perera*
28(20)
Sadeera Samarawickrama
12(22)
Maheesh Theekshana
0/23
15.6 Maheesh Theekshana to Kusal Perera, short on off-stump. Punched down to deep point off the back foot for a single. Time for the last strategic time-out of the match.
15.5 Maheesh Theekshana to Kusal Perera, full on off-and-middle. Turned around to short mid-wicket off the pads, no run.
15.4 Maheesh Theekshana to Kusal Perera, full on off-stump. Inside edged on to the pad with the attempted drive, no run again. The shout for LBW was highly optimistic!
15.3 Maheesh Theekshana to Kusal Perera, full on off-and-middle. Defended off the front foot back to the bowler.
15.2 Maheesh Theekshana to Kusal Perera, round the wicket, full on off-stump. Pushed to short extra cover off the front foot, no run.
15.1 Maheesh Theekshana to Sadeera Samarawickrama, over the wicket, full around off-stump. Knocked down to wide long-on on the charge for a single.
Maheesh Theekshana [3-0-21-0] is back into the attack.
Viyaskanth finishes his spell off. He bowled rather nicely today and picked up a wicket as well. Dambulla need just six runs to win this game.