The Lanka Premier League once again lived up to its glamour and glory, proving it is among the best leagues in the world today. This league, which began two days after the conclusion of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, ended on Sunday (July 21, 2024), with Jaffna Kings emerging as champions for the fourth time.
Jaffna Kings displayed their authority through a nine-wicket win over Galle Marvels to lift the trophy they had won in the inaugural edition in 2020, as well as in 2021 and 2022. They regained the title they had lost to B-Love Kandy in 2023.
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Though I was stranded due to the cyclone in Barbados soon after the World Cup following the Barbados International Airport being closed for three days, I have been closely following the contests in this league. I had reported on the 2023 edition of this league and talked about the keen contests and the huge fan following for this event. Though this league may not seem to be as glamorous as the Indian Premier League (IPL), it is well-organized and produces exhilarating cricket. The effort the organizers put in to make it a memorable event for the spectators was evident in this edition too.
On the final day, they staged a 500-drone-backed laser show, elevating the spectacle of this league. It made every cricket fan proud as every supporter of this game on this island nation was shown the journey of the Sri Lankan cricketing legends and the league’s history. This show was witnessed by 220 delegates from the 108 member countries who were in Sri Lanka for the International Cricket Council’s Annual General Meeting. This league, and the efforts put in by the organizers to produce the best, will surely inspire cricketing nations to keep improving their leagues. Innovate X, powered by BotLab Dynamics, launched this spectacular 500-drone show.
The man behind the success of this league is Anil Mohan Sankhdhar, Founder and CEO of IPG Group, the official rights holder of LPL 2024. He once again displayed his immense organizational skills. After the successful conduct of the fifth edition, he proudly remarked: “Season 5 of LPL was a series of many firsts, right from record-breaking runs to thrilling last-over deciders and multiple individual brilliance. Each year, the league has raised the bar with innovative enhancements aimed at captivating audiences and delivering a distinctive cricketing experience. As we concluded the fifth edition of LPL, the grand finale stood out as a testament to our strong partnership with the Sri Lankan Cricket Board, aimed to make it one of the most monumental cricketing events of recent times. It also showcased the marvels that cricket and a premier event like the Lanka Premier League can achieve.”
The final was a display of Jaffna Kings’ might. Opting to bowl first, Jaffna picked three quick wickets after Galle Marvels had scored just 24 runs. Tim Seifert and Bhanuka Rajapaksa fought hard to lift Marvels out of trouble. Seifert even hit a hat-trick of sixes in the 12th over from Vijayakanth Viyaskanth. He went on to score 47 runs. Rajapaksa hit 82 off 34 balls and helped Marvels post 184 for 6 in 20 overs. Jaffna chased the target in 15.4 overs through Rilee Rossouw’s unbeaten 106 off 53 balls. Kusal Mendis remained unconquered on 72 off 49 balls. Their unbroken 185-run stand was the highest for any wicket across all LPL editions. Rilee Rossouw bagged the player of the match and player of the series awards.
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The emerging player of the tournament award was won by Chamindu Wickramasinghe of Dambulla Sixers. The Red Cap for the highest wicket-taker was bagged by Shadab Khan with 17 wickets. The Pink Cap for the highest run-scorer in the tournament was bagged by Tim Seifert with 400 runs. Dhananjaya de Silva got the Catch of the Match award for his effort to dismiss Alex Hales.
What stood out in the fifth edition of LPL was the trend of high-scoring games. This edition witnessed the most sixes in a single season with 307, beating the previous record of 275 in the 2020 edition. The wickets in Pallekele and Dambulla came in for huge praise as they produced high scores abd cricket fans got their money’s worth. The average innings total, excluding one rain-affected game, was around 175, showcasing Twenty20 cricket at its best. Two run chases were decided off the last ball of the innings, another was decided by a slender margin of two runs. If that was not enough, there was a tie broken by a Super Over.
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