The third season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) started off with a bang with the Jaffna Kings living up to their expectations and beginning their first victory of the season when they thrashed the Colombo Strikers in their curtain raiser at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, July 30. The fourth edition of the tournament saw the defending champions take on the Niroshan Dickwella-led Colombo Strikers.
This was also the first match for the Pakistan skipper Babar Azam in LPL as he represented Colombo Strikers. Earlier in the match, Niroshan Dickwella, the captain of Colombo Strikers, called Jaffna Kings to bat first after winning the toss. For Colombo Strikers, the Kings scored a total of 174 runs thanks to Towhid Hridoy’s half-century. The right-hand batter blasted 54 off 39 deliveries, including one maximum and four boundaries. Naseem Shah, Matheesha Pathirana, Chamika Karunaratne, and Lakshan Sandakan each went on to pick up one wicket.
In reply to the tricky total, the skipper Dickwella took the initiative for his team with a 58-run knock of 34 deliveries, including nine fours and one six, The captain’s half-century, though, was in vain since they were restricted at 152 in the final over with two deliveries to spare.
Hardus Viljoen, who claimed a three-wicket haul, played a key role for Jaffna Kings. For Kings, Dilshan Madushanka and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth each took two wickets, and skipper Thisara Perera took one.
Double Header on Day 2 of LPL 2023
Two LPL matches will be played on July 31 as Dasun Shanaka-led Galle Titans will be taking on Kusal Mendis-led Dambulla Giants in the first match of the day followed by Wanindu Hasaranga-led B-Love Kandy and Nirosan Dickwella led Colombo Strikers in the second match of the day.
Colombo Strikers will be looking to put behind the scars from the first game they played and get on the winning ways while B-Love Kandy will be looking to get off to a winning start.
