Wanindu Hasaranga-led B-Love Kandy stormed into Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 final with a convincing 34-run win over Dasun Shanaka's Galle Titans at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on August 19. Hasaranga led from the front and top-scored for his side in the first innings. Then, he followed it up with an economical spell including two wickets to close out the game.
Hasaranga won the toss and opted to bat first. Kandy lost their star Pakistan recruit Mohammad Haris to Lahiru Kumar for a single-digit score. Kumara struck again to dismiss the other opener Thanuka Dabare. Shakib Al Hasan got Sahan Arachchige stumped in the fifth over as Kandy were reduced to 20/3.
After six overs, they had just 26 runs on the board. Unable to utilised the powerplay overs, Hasaranga launched a counter-attack. He took on spinners and hit them out of the park. At the halfway stage, Kandy were 71/3. Dasun Shanaka introduced himself into the attack and it almost worked right away but Najibullah dropped Hasarnga’s catch. The all-rounder rubbed on Shanaka’s wounds with a four and a six.
Sonal Dinusha broke the partnership in the 14th over with the wicket of Hasaranga. His 30-ball 48 included three fours and four sixes. In the 16th over, Dinesh Chandimal was dismissed for a 37-ball 38 to Dinusha. In the slog overs, cameos from Angelo Mathews and Chaturanga de Silva helped Kandy post 157/7.
The Titans' run chase got off to an ideal start with Litton Das doing the bulk of the scoring. Silva in his first over in the powerplay overs got the wicket of Das. He scored 25 runs from 19 balls. In the next over, Mujeeb Ur Rahman got the wicket of Sohan de Livera. The Titans had 44/2 on the board after powerplay overs. Silva in his next over got the wicket of opener Lasith Croospulled as well. At the halfway stage, the Titans were 67/3 and Shakib got a reprieve in the form of a dropped catch.
Arachchige in his second over got Shakib out for a 15-ball 17. Shanaka succumbed to the pressure and lost the battle of captains. He became Hasaranga's first victim of the night. The required run rate kept climbing and wickets kept falling. In the end, it was too much for tailenders Kasun Rajitha and Kumara to pull off. Titans posted 123/8 and lost the match by 34 runs.
B-Love Kandy will now face Dambulla Aura at the same venue on August 20.
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