Opener Lasith Croospulle's 80-run knock goes in vain as Galle Titans failed to put up an above par against Dambulla Aura at R Premdasa Stadium, Colombo on August 17. Kusal Mendis's patient 49-run knock and Kusal Perera's 39-ball 53 helped Dambulla Aura chase down the target with six wickets in hand and two balls to spare to reach Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 final.
Dambulla skipper Mendis won the toss and opted to field first. Binura Fernando struck off the second ball he bowled to dismiss Bhanuka Rajapaksa. Then Litton Das fell to Australian pacer Hayden Kerr. Croospulle made use of the fielding restrictions and found boundaries. The Titans were 45/2 after powerplay overs. Shakib Al Hasan failed to convert a good start. Dhananjaya de Silva got to his wicket in the 10th over. The Titans were 80/3 at the halfway stage.
In the next over, Croospulle got to his maiden LPL half-century from 33 deliveries. In the 13th over, Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad got the wickets of skipper Shanaka and Najibullah Zadran. The Titans failed to accelerate in the slog overs. Kerr came back to the attack and got the wicket of Lahiru Samarakoon. In the penultimate over, two more wickets fell. Croospulle got run out on the penultimate ball of the innings. The opener scored 80 runs from 61 balls including seven fours. Hasan Ali wrapped up the innings with a wicket last ball as Titans posted 146 on the board.
Dambulla got off to a good start in the run chase. Avishka Fernando took on pacers Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru Kumara. Shakib broke the partnership by getting Fernando stumped. He scored 24 runs from 14 balls. After powerplay overs, Dambulla were 44/1. In the ninth over, Seekkuge Prasanna got the wicket of Sadeera Samarawickrama who scored 13 runs from 15 balls. At the halfway stage, Dambulla were 73/2 and the game was delicately poised between the two teams.
Perera started scoring more freely while Mendis held on to one end. They crossed the 100-run mark in the 14th over. In the 18th over, Perera targetted Tabraiz Shamsi and hit him for a six and a four. In the same over, he broke the third-wicket partnership. Mendis got out lbw as Shamsi used DRS. He scored 49 runs from 45 balls including six fours.
In the penultimate over, Perera reached his half-century with a six. In the final over, Shanaka decided to introduce himself with scores already level. He got the wicket of Perera whose 39-ball 53 comprised four fours and three sixes. After two dot balls, Alex Ross took a single to seal the game.
“We had our chances to score 160-170 but we gave our wickets at crucial times. Croospulle was going from one end but myself, Shakib and Najib are guys that have to click on this wicket but we didn’t. It was a tough ask, we had our five bowlers and I wanted to go with them,” Shanaka said in the post-match press conference.
Dambulla will now play in the final on August 20. Meanwhile, the Titans will face the winner of Eliminator between B-Love Kandy and Jaffna Kings on August 19.
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