Jaffna Stallions skipper Thisara Perera starred with the bat for the second game running as his franchise defeated Kandy Tuskers by a 54-run margin in the eighth match of LPL 2020 on Tuesday. Both Thisara Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva slammed impressive half-centuries as Jaffna Stallions recovered from yet another poor start to post a highly competitive 185 for 8.
Kandy Tuskers got off to a bad start in the tough chase of 186. The talented yet erratic Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-edged Usman Shinwari to depart for 6. Kandy Tuskers skipper Kusal Perera also perished to the same bowler, flicking one towards deep backward square.
Kusal Mendis was looking good, but fell for 20 to Suranga Lakmal, immediately after hitting the bowler for a six. Brendan Taylor once again impressed for Kandy Tuskers with 46 from 32, a knock featuring three solid sixes. His dismissal, though, left Kandy Tuskers in further strife at 90 for 5. The lower order capsized without a fight as Kandy Tuskers were blown away for 131 in 17.1 overs
The Jaffna Stallions bowlers shared the wickets around. Shinwari stood out with 3 for 17. Suranga Lankan and Thisara Perera also picked up a couple of wickets, while Wanindu Hasaranga continued his excellent season with figures of 2 for 17.
Thisara Perera, who struck a brilliant 97 not out in the previous match, contributed a superlative 68 from only 28 balls. His innings featured five sixes and as many fours.
Thisara Perera joined hands with de Silva (61 from 38) after Jaffna Stallions had crumbled to 4 for 49 in the 10th over. The horror start for the batting side included an embarrassing run out off a no ball (Avishka Fernando) and the unlucky run out of Shoaib Malik at the non-striker’s end.
The duo of Thisara Perera and de Silva featured in a scintillating 118-run stand for the fifth wicket. The Jaffna Stallions captain got into six-hitting mode by clobbering a couple of maximums off Kamindu Mendis’ bowling either side of the wicket.
The boundaries kept flowing after that as Thisara Perera raced to his fifty off 22 balls. De Silva was sedate in comparison, as he reached the same landmark off 34 balls. Incidentally, both batsmen got to their half-century in the same over, the 16th bowled by Dilruwan Perera. 22 came off the over as De Silva slammed the off-spinner for two sixes and as many fours.
Kandy Tuskers did not help their cause by dropping Thisara Perera just after he had reached his fifty. Jaffna Stallions looked set to reach 200 with Thisara Perera and de Silva in top form. Naveen-ul-Haq, however, sent both back off consecutive deliveries as the duo looked to up the ante.
A couple of quick wickets ensured Kandy Tuskers held Jaffna Stallions to under 190. Naveen-ul-Haq claimed three wickets for Kandy Tuskers, but was expensive, giving away 44 runs. Asela Gunaratne impressed with 2 for 20 from three overs.
LPL 2020: Jaffna Stallions vs Kandy Tuskers: Who was the Man of the Match?
There were a number of attractive performances in the match. De Silva’s 61 was a top-class effort while Usman Shinwari blew Kandy Tuskers away with 3 for 17. He dismissed both the opposition openers – Gurbaz and Kusal Perera – to get Jaffna Stallions off to a brilliant start in the chase.
Jaffna Stallions skipper Thisara Perera was again the one who stood out as the big difference between the two sides. It was his big-hitting that swung the momentum of the game back towards the Jaffna Stallions camp. He also chipped in with two wickets, making the choice for man of the match an easy one.
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