Rookie Chamindu Wickramasinghe’s late order fightback and Nuwan Thushara’s spell with the new ball led Dambulla Sixers to an emphatic 25-run win against the Galle Marvels despite Isuru Udana almost pulling off a miracle with the bat.
After the game in the afternoon being a high-scoring thriller all the fans were eagerly waiting for another run-fest in the night game as well.
Galle Marvel’s skipper Niroshan Dickwella chose to bowl first where the record proved to be good for the team chasing in the games played in Dambulla.
The dynamic Dambulla Sixers opening duo Reeza Hendriks and Kusal Perera couldn’t get going in their usual gear courtesy of some disciplined bowling from the Marvels’ new ball bowlers. The Sixers were stranded at 88 for the loss of 6 wickets at the 13-over mark.
Chamindu playing as the under-23 player had all the responsibility on his shoulders to take the Sixers to a responsible position from the deep pit they had fallen into.
Wickramasinghe then stepped on the gas pedal, striking at over 160 to score an unbeaten 56 off 34 deliveries resurrecting the Sixers’ innings from the shambles it was in. The knock included six 4s and three 6s.
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It was Galle Marvels’ under-23 player Kavindu Nadeeshan who was the standout bowler. He finished his quota of four overs, picking up 3 wickets while giving away just 16 runs. It was a very positive sight for the Lanka Premier League, where both teams’ under-23 players stood out for their respective sides.
Nuwan Thushara did Nuwan Thushara things to kick off the Galle Marvels innings by picking up two wickets in the opening over. He got rid of the in-form Marvels’ skipper Niroshan Dickwella and Tim Seifert who is in great form this tournament in the first over.
“The Marvels were eight down inside thirteen overs, exposing their tail-end in no time. From the fourteenth over onwards, it was the tournament’s second-highest-paid player Isuru Udana’s show, as he smashed the Damubulla Sixers to all parts of the ground. Udana scored a superb 72 runs in just 38 deliveries, which included five 4s and five 6s, taking the Marvels to a place where they could see victory.
The Marvels needed 27 runs off the final over of the game. Chamindu Wickramasinghe stepped in to bowl the last over of the innings, which was his first over of the game.
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Wickramasinghe managed to take the prized wicket of Isuru Udana with the first delivery, closing off any chance for the Marvels to secure a win.
Nuwan Thushara, after his scintillating spell with the new ball, ended with 3 for 37 in his four overs. Additionally, Sri Lanka cap Dhushan Hemantha was also in the wicket column for the Sixers, picking up 3 wickets in his four-over spell.
Chamindu Wickramasinghe was adjudged the player of the match for his game-changing innings with the bat and his contributions with the ball.
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reeza Hendricks | c Tim Seifert b Isuru Udana | 16 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 123.08 |
| Kusal Perera | c Tim Seifert b Isuru Udana | 17 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 141.67 |
| Lahiru Udara | c Sahan Arachchige b Kavindu Nadeeshan | 26 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 152.94 |
| Nuwanidu Fernando | c Niroshan Dickwella b Dwaine Pretorius | 12 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Mark Chapman | c Sahan Arachchige b Kavindu Nadeeshan | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 109.09 |
| Chamindu Wickramasinghe | not out | 56 | 34 | 6 | 3 | 164.71 |
| Mohammad Nabi | st Niroshan Dickwella b Kavindu Nadeeshan | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Dushan Hemantha | b Maheesh Theekshana | 15 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 115.38 |
| Dilshan Madushanka | c Tim Seifert b Zahoor Khan | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Nuwan Thushara | not out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 3 (b 0 , lb 2 , nb 0, w 1, pen 0) |
| Total | 160/8 (20 Overs, RR: 8) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwaine Pretorius | 4 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 7.25 | |
| Isuru Udana | 3 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 5.33 | |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 | |
| Zahoor Khan | 4 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 13.00 | |
| Kavindu Nadeeshan | 4 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 4.00 | |
| Janith Liyanage | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 18.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niroshan Dickwella | b Nuwan Thushara | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 233.33 |
| Alex Hales | c & b Dushan Hemantha | 17 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 85.00 |
| Tim Seifert | lbw b Nuwan Thushara | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Bhanuka Rajapaksa | b Nuwan Thushara | 7 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 77.78 |
| Janith Liyanage | lbw b Dilshan Madushanka | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Sahan Arachchige | c Lahiru Udara b Dushan Hemantha | 11 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 55.00 |
| Dwaine Pretorius | b Dushan Hemantha | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 37.50 |
| Isuru Udana | c Mohammad Nabi b Chamindu Wickramasinghe | 72 | 38 | 5 | 5 | 189.47 |
| Kavindu Nadeeshan | c Reeza Hendricks b Nuwan Pradeep | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | not out | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 45.45 |
| Zahoor Khan | not out | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Extras | 9 (b 4 , lb 1 , nb 0, w 4, pen 0) |
| Total | 135/9 (19.4 Overs, RR: 6.86) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuwan Thushara | 4 | 0 | 37 | 3 | 9.25 | |
| Dilshan Madushanka | 4 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 4.00 | |
| Mohammad Nabi | 3 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 3.67 | |
| Dushan Hemantha | 4 | 0 | 33 | 3 | 8.25 | |
| Nuwan Pradeep | 4 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 | |
| Chamindu Wickramasinghe | 0.4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2.50 | |
