LPL 2020- Avishka Fernando steers Jaffna Stallions home against Galle Gladiators

Opener Avishka Fernando smashed an unbeaten 92 off 63 balls as Jaffna Stallions defeated Galle Gladiators by eight wickets in the second match of the Lanka Premier League (LPL 2020) on Friday. Earlier, Wanindu Hasaranga bowled a brilliant spell of 2 for 12 to restrict Galle Gladiators to 175

Fernando had got off to a slow start, scoring only 10 from his first 20 balls. However, he soon opened up by taking Milinda Siriwardana for three sixes in two overs and never looked back after that.

In the company of experienced allrounder Shoaib Malik, who contributed an unbeaten 27 off 31 balls, Fernando took Jaffna Stallions home in the last over as he slammed five fours and seven sixes.

Earlier, Minod Bhanuka got Jaffna Stallions off to a bright start in the LPL game, hitting two fours and a six. However, left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir got the breakthrough for Galle Gladiators by having Bhanuka caught behind for 18.

Shahid Afridi then took a brilliant catch of Tom Moores to keep Galle Gladiators in the hunt as Jaffna Stallions were reduced to 66 for 2. However, once Fernando got his eye in, he opened up and reached his half-century off 40 balls with a flurry of sixes to take the Stallions home in an enthralling LPL game.

The Gladiators lost half their side with only 93 runs on the board and looked in danger of folding up early. However, Afridi went on an all-out attack to keep his side in the contest.

Afridi began by smashing Binura Fernando for three fours in the 16th over and followed up by smashing two sixes off Kyle Abbott in the next. The 18th over of the innings saw the former Pakistan international player hitting four sixes in five balls off Duanne Olivier before he fell off the last ball of the over.

In response, Galle Gladiators were slow off the blocks as opener Danushka Gunathilaka took 38 balls for his 30 before he was cleaned up by Wanindu Hasaranga while going for a reverse sweep.

Azam Khan too struggled, taking 18 balls for his 20, while vice-captain Bhanuka Rajapaksa needed 20 balls for his 21 runs. Siriwardana’s cheap dismissal made matters worse for Galle Gladiators before an Afridi special brought the Stallions right back into the LPL game.

For Jaffna Stallions, medium-pacer Duanne Olivier had a mixed game in the LPL, as he picked up four crucial scalps but was also hammered by Afridi towards the end. Fast bowler Abbott was taken for 46 runs in his four overs while leg-spinner Hasaranga stood out with exceptional figures of 2 for 12. .

Leg-spinner Hasaranga was brilliant for Jaffna Stallions, picking up the scalps of Gunathilaka and Azam Khan, and conceding only 12 runs in his four overs.

For Galle Gladiators, Shahid Afridi was special even in a losing cause. After blazing his way to 58 off 23, he conceded only 20 runs in his four overs and also took a superb catch in the deep.

However, Fernando was rightfully adjudged the Man of the Match for his innings of 92 off 63 balls, as the Jaffna Stallions opener completely shut Galle Gladiators out of the LPL contest.