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So, that will be it from an exciting low-scoring affair at Pallekele! Dambulla Aura move up to 6 points now while all the other teams sit on 4. Tomorrow is the last day of the Kandy-leg of the tournament with two games coming up. So, do join is in the afternoon first for what should be another cracker of the contest between Galle Titans and the home side, B-Love Kandy! The second match will see Colombo Strikers take on Jaffna Kings in the evening under lights. For now, this is the pair of Rajarshi and Bidipto taking your leave. Keep following Sportskeeda!
Kusal Mendis (Dambulla Aura captain): The batting was below par but the bowling was really impressive! Despite Shoaib Malik's heroics, we were able to make it happen with the ball and keep things tight when it mattered.
Thisara Perera (Jaffna Kings captain): I think we did really well with the ball but were poor with the bat, including myself. In the last two games we were not in the right path, so, will have to have a word with the batters now and sort out some issues. Don't think there is any need to be too worried about the position in the points table at this stage, to be honest.
Hasan Ali is the Player Of The Match, here's what he has to say: We would have done well to put 160+ as a batting unit, but unfortunately, we couldn't succeed on that front. As a bowling unit, though, we kept believing that we could pull it off. Brilliant effort from the bowling unit, we stuck to our plans. We always plan as a unit, had Gurbaz stayed for a couple more overs, he could have changed the scenario. Luckily, we got him out, and got a couple of early wickets and put them under pressure. Surface wasn't easy, the ball wasn't coming on well and was spinning. Credit to the legend, Shoaib Malik for the way he played. We'll be going from Kandy with the win.
Dambulla Aura win by 9 runs!
Kusal Perera 41 (36) | Hasan Ali - 3/20 (4) Shoaib Malik - 74* (53) and 2/13 (4)
What an impressive defense this by Dambulla Aura! What looked like an easy run chase turned out to be a bridge too far for Jaffna Kings, thanks to some good bowling of course but also, some poor stroke-play!
Binura Fernando, Hasan Ali and Hayden Kerr started magnificently by getting rid of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Charith Asalanka, Towhid Hridoy and David Miller. That pushed Jaffna back big time.
Shoaib Malik and Dunith Wellalage did try to stitch together a substantial partnership and were actually going well when Hasan Ali came back to strike first ball! Wellalage was out to a disappointing shot on the charge.
Next was the turn of skipper Thisara Perera who misread everything and gifted Noor Ahmad his wicket. Not to forget of course, were the efforts in the field from Dhananjaya de Silva to have the presence of mind to take a relay catch and inflict a run out via a direct hit!
Shoaib Malik did not stop. He tried his level best to take his side home with an unbeaten half-century but it turned out to be too much for him alone in the end! Dambulla Aura were able to pull off a good victory which is the second most successful defense in the history of the Lanka Premier League.
20
overs
125/7score
6
6
1wd
0
1wd
0
4
6
runs
Shoaib Malik*
78(54)
Maheesh Theekshana
5(10)
Noor Ahmad
1/46
19.6 Noor Ahmad to Shoaib Malik, SIX! The boundaries came in far too late for Jaffna Kings, they fall short of the target by 10 runs! This was full, dished out in the slot from round the wicket, Malik got down on one knee, and slogged this one right out of the ground towards mid wicket! Dambulla Aura hold their nerve, and despite a valiant effort from Shoaib Malik, clinch a thrilling win!
Last ball of the match, coming up!
19.5 Noor Ahmad to Shoaib Malik, FOUR! This was wide outside off, Malik got across, cut this one ferociously past the gap at cover, and found the boundary
19.4 Noor Ahmad to Shoaib Malik, wide again! Fired in on a length this time, and the ball screeches past the tramline once again! Hang on a minute.....the umpire hasn't spread his arms this time! It's a dot ball!
Runs required are 20, balls left are 3.
19.4 Noor Ahmad to Shoaib Malik, wide, on a length, but past the tramline yet again
19.3 Noor Ahmad to Shoaib Malik, slow, short of a length outside off, Malik cut this one on the bounce towards backward point. Surely, that's the game?
Jaffna need 21 runs off the remaining 4 balls now.
19.3 Noor Ahmad to Shoaib Malik, wide! Noor goes over the wicket this time, but sprays the ball past the tramline!
Noor changes to over the wicket.
Now, Jaffna require 22 runs off 4 balls.
19.2 Noor Ahmad to Shoaib Malik, SIX MORE!! Now then! This was full and flighted outside off, Malik got under this one as well, and went on to swat the ball over the man and the fence at long off! Surely, surely they're coming a bit too late for the Kings?
19.1 Noor Ahmad to Shoaib Malik, SIX! That's one of them! This was full on off stump from round the wicket, bit of air on it, Malik got down on one knee and slogged the ball over the fence at deep mid wicket!
Dambulla Aura have been penalized with having to keep an extra fielder in the ring, owing to slow over rate.
Noor Ahmad [3.0-0-22-1] comes back into the attack. He will start round the wicket.
Last over coming up! All Dambulla need to do here is bowl tight lines and lengths and not bowl any extra delivery. However, Jaffna should keep looking for sixes, just in case there is a window of opportunity from somewhere.
Video
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Shoaib Malik
*
Noor Ahmad
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
