The 2018 season of the Almarai Premier League Eastern Region, also known as APL EKSA Season 06, was the sixth edition of the APL, a professional cricket league established by the Almarai Eastern Region from 2013.
The tournament featured seven teams this year with Dammam Poultry being an addition to last year’s teams. The 2018 season started on 23rd February 2018 and finished on 23rd March 2018, with Jubail Super Kings and Dammam Lankan Lions hosting the opening match and the final respectively. Jubail Super Kings won by 6 wickets against Dammam Lankan Lions in the final, to claim their second title in a row.
Dammam Sales Support all-rounder Mohamed Irfan won the Best Batsman award for the leading run-scorer of the tournament with 244 runs. Tony Sanjeewa from Dammam Lankan Lions was awarded the Best Bowler award with 15 wickets. Irfan was also named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament in the sixth edition of the APL.
Dammam Lankan Lions qualified for the eliminator with a third-place finish in the group stages. They won four of their six games, suffering defeats against Jubail Super Kings and Dammam Sales Support.
Jubail Super Kings made it to the qualifiers as they finished top of the group. They managed to win all their six games in the group stages.
The 1st qualifier was between Jubail Super Kings and Dammam Sales Support where it was a pitch tailormade for batsmen. Batting 1st Dammam Sales Support posted 141 runs in their 15 overs in which Mohamed Irfan scored a blistering 50. Jubail Super Kings were equal to the challenge with a solid opening partnership between Shakeer Mohamed and Shuraif Iqbal. Shuraif Iqbal played an absolute blinder which gave Jubail Super Kings an easy win over Dammam Sales Support to qualify for the finals. Shuraif Iqbal scored an unbeaten 60 runs.
Dammam Lankan Lions beat Hoffuf Knight Riders in their 1st eliminator with Tony Sanjeewa bowling an exceptional spell where he picked up 6 wickets in his quota of 3 overs. The 2nd eliminator was a nail biter which went down to the wire. Dammam Sales Support had to score 10 runs in the last over but Dammam Lankan Lions’ Rishan Mohamed used all experience to restrict the opposition to just 4 runs and take Dammam Lankan Lions to the Final.
The much-awaited finals between the rivals were played under floodlights at the SABSA cricket ground in Rakah. Dammam Lankan Lions Captain Zamic Mashood won the toss and elected to bat first and had a brisk start scoring 28 off 2 overs. Zamic Mashood and Deshan Anushka steadied the team and kept the score board ticking after a few quick wickets. A cameo from the vice-captain Sasi Kumar at the end took the score to 119 at the end of 15 overs. Kasun Prabash and Dilan Lakminda were the pick of the bowlers for Jubail Super Kings.
The target for Jubail Super Kings was 120 off 15 overs. Dammam Lankan Lions had a pretty good start in the initial stages, bowling a tight line and length. In the 2nd over Nissanka Gamage took a blinder at cover point to give the Lions the breakthrough. Sasi Kumar then bowled a rising delivery with the next ball to Shakeer Mohamed who skied it up in the air but unfortunately it was dropped at deep square. Captain Zamic Mashood reacted fast, bringing back his best bowler and he got the price wicket of Shakeer Mohamed. In came Kasun Prabash but he and Dilan Lakminda found it difficult to middle the ball with Tharindu Ranasinghe and Shenal Marasinhe keeping things tight. Prabash and Lakminda gave the hosts 4 but the opportunities were not taken. Kasun Prabash (60*) unleashed in the 10th over, hitting 3 sixes and following with another 2 in the next over as Jubail Super Kings chased down the target with 3.3 overs to spare.
Kasun Prabash was named Man of the Final and also awarded the fastest fifty award.
Final Match Summary
Dammam Lankan Lions – 119/8 in 15 Overs
(Tharindu Ranasinghe 21, Zamic Mashood 17, Kasun 4/18 (3 Overs)Jubail Super Kings – 120/4 in 12.3 Overs
(Kasun Prabash – 60 N/O, Shakeer Mohamed 26, Rishan Mohamed (2/17 (3 Overs)
APL Season 06 2018 Tournament Summary
