SLC Team Red registered a thrilling win over SLC Team Green in the second match of the SLC T20 World Cup Preparation Tournament played today (4th May) at R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
SLC Team Green Skipper Janith Liyanage won the toss and opted to bat first. Dinesh Chandimal and Kusal Perera opened the batting for Team Green, and the duo added 47 runs off 27 balls for the first wicket before left-arm spinner Nimesh Vimukthi dismissed the latter for 23 runs.
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Vimukthi managed to strike twice in his next over claiming the scalps of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and the skipper Liyanage for single digit scores.
Vimukthi continued to trouble Team Green’s top order as he picked up yet another wicket in his next over, claiming the experienced batter Dinesh Chandimal’s scalp for 30 runs.
Sahan Arachchige, Ramesh Mendis and Chamika Karunaratne then provided some impetus to the innings, contributing with useful 20s as SLC Team Green posted 151/9 in the allotted 20 overs.
Vimukthi had a great game with the ball where he managed to claim 4 wickets for 23 runs in his 4-over spell for SLC Team Red.
In the chase, Avishka Fernando got SLC Team Red off to a great start, scoring a blistering knock of 48 runs off 23 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes at a strike rate of 208.69.
Kamindu Mendis (23) and Ahan Wickramasinghe (22) then anchored the innings with crucial knocks, but a flurry of wickets in the latter stage of the innings created panic in the middle for SLC Team Red.
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After being 97/2, SLC Team Red lost 7 wickets for 58 runs, but they eventually managed to hold nerves to cross over the line in the last over of the innings.
Brief Scores
SLC Team Green – 151/9 (20) Dinesh Chandimal 30, Chamika Karunaratne 29, Sahan Arachchige 27, Kusal Perera 23, Ramesh Mendis 22, Nimesh Vimukthi 4/23
SLC Team Red – 155/9 (19.5) Avishka Fernando 48, Kamindu Mendis 23, Ahan Wickramasinghe 22, Garuka Sanketh 2/13, Lakshan Sandakan 2/22, Tharindu Rathnayake 2/37
Result – SLC Team Red won by 1 wicket