The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That would be all from the coverage of this game of LPL T20. But there is more action to come from LPL as after the top of the table clash it the team at the bottom of the table who will be seen in action. In a short while, we will see Colombo Stars taking on Kandy Warriors for the last group game of LPL T20 2021. It is a crucial game for both sides as the winner will be fourth on the points tally and qualify for the knockout phase while it will be the end of the road for the losing side. Naturally, that match has a lot at stake and we can expect a thriller! So make sure you catch all the scores and updates of that fixture right here at Sportskeeda.
For now, this is the commentary team of Navjeevan Rajput and Prakhar Sachdeo signing off!
A low-scoring match comes to a close in which Galle Gladiators have prevailed over Jaffna Kings by 20 runs. It was a tough wicket to bat on as confessed by the Player of the Match and Galle Gladiators skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa. On a slowish deck the Gladiators managed just 129/8 in their 20 overs, with Rajapaksa coming up with valuable 23 runs. At that stage it felt like it would be an easy chase for Jaffna Kings. But the Kings made a royal mess in their chase and the pitch got slower and slower as the match progressed. It was about showing patience but Jaffna Kings' batters kept throwing away their wickets and as a result, the Kings fell short by 20 runs.
Time for Post Match Presentation.
Thisara Perera, Jaffna Kings captain: There were too many changes in the team. The loss is a wake-up call for us. We had to consider other players from the bench. We won't think much about the knock-out phase game against Galle Gladiators.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa is the Player of the Match.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Galle Gladiators captain: The wicket was not good to bat on. But we wanted a total that was defendable. The team has been very positive. From ball 1 we wanted to pick wickets. It is about confidence. Beating the Kings twice in a two helps us to build confidence.
Galle Gladiators have successfully defended a low total of 129! Who would have thought that? With this win, the Gladiators have ensured that they finish second in the points tally. Galle Gladiators remain the only team to defeat Jaffna Kings in this season of the Lanka Premier League. And this match gives us a good context for the Qualifier-I in the knockout phase between the two sides in a few days of time! Jaffna Kings the table-toppers against Galle Gladiators, the only team to defeat the table-toppers twice.
18.3 Mohammad Amir to Suranga Lakmal, DONE AND DUSTED!! Slower one on the stumps, Lakmal throws his bat at it and splices that one high in the air in the night sky. The ball flies towards mid-wicket, Noor comes running in from deep mid-wicket and takes a good sliding catch to seal the deal. With that, the six-match winning streak of the Kings comes to a close!!
18.2 Mohammad Amir to Suranga Lakmal, JUST PAST!! Full and just outside off, Lakmal flashes at that one and lofts that down the ground, beats the long-off fielder and finds the ropes on the bounce
18.1 Mohammad Amir to Praveen Jayawickrama, pace off delivery outside off, Praveen chips that just back over the bowler's head for one
What a lazy exhibition of running in between the wickets by the Kings batters. It resulted in not one, not two but three runouts in the space of six deliveries. Abysmal show in the chase by the Kings.
18
overs
0/0score
W
6
1
1W
W
1
runs
Pulina Tharanga
17.6 Pulina Tharanga to Praveen Jayawickrama, tossed on the length and dragged towards leg-side for one
Praveen Jayawickrama, RHB, is the last man in for Jaffna Kings.
17.5 Pulina Tharanga to Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, LAZY STUFF!! Tossed up on the stumps, Vijaskanth tries to turn that away but the ball hits his pads and rolls towards short leg. Vijaskanth strolls as the keeper collects the ball and takes a shy at the stumps and hits. Viyaskanth is shot of his ground and walks back to the hut without troubling the scorers!
V Viyaskanth run out (Kusal Mendis) 0(1b 4x0 6x0)
Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, RHB, walks out to bat.
17.4 Pulina Tharanga to Suranga Lakmal, CHAOS!! Yorker outside off, Lakmal bunts that away towards deep cover and dashes for one. Lakmal calls for the second as Bandara responds and comes halfway down the pitch. However, Lakmal decides to sell him down the reverse and sends him back turning his back on him! The keeper gets the ball and hits the stumps and Bandara was nowhere close to making ground.
Ashen Bandara run out (Udana/Kusal Mendis) 18(9b 6x2 4x0)
17.3 Pulina Tharanga to Ashen Bandara, tossed on the full and on the stumps, Bandara sweeps that towards leg-side for a single
17.2 Pulina Tharanga to Ashen Bandara, PALMED OVER!! Loopy delivery on the stumps, Bandara comes down the track and lofts that towards long-off. Udana in the deep tries to jump and catch that one but palms it over the ropes!
Suranga Lakmal, RHB, walks out to bat.
17.1 Pulina Tharanga to Wahab Riaz, DIRECT HIT AND GONE!! Tossed up just outside off, Riaz taps that towards off-side and dashes for one. Pulina attacks the ball himself and takes a shy at the stumps towards the non-striker's end and hits. Riaz is miles out of his crease here
Riaz run out (Pulina Tharanga) 7(7b 6x1 4x1)
Pulina Tharanga is back into the attack.
Sixteen runs from over number 17. What a critical over for the Kings. Wahab and Bandara smacking Amir for two sixes. But is it too late in the day for the Kings? Wahab is no mug with bat. He can swing hard in the death overs!