179/5 (20.0)
CR : 8.95
177/7 (20.0)
CR : 8.85
Galle Marvels won by 5 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Alex Hales
65(47)
GM won by 5 wickets
6:22 PM IST, Local Time: That's it. Sahan Arachchige has displayed nerves of steel here. With three required to win off the last ball, he brings out the scoop over short fine leg and collects a boundary to take the Galle Marvels across the line. They beat the Jaffna Kings by five wickets and also pull off their highest successful run-chase in the history of Lanka Premier League.
Chasing 178, the Galle Marvels got off to a rollicking start, thanks to their openers Niroshan Dickwella and Alex Hales. Both played some lovely strokes and made full use of the fielding restrictions. They put 66 between them before Dickwella fell on 27-ball 47 in the eighth over. Hales stepped on the accelerator after his skipper’s departure and got to his fifty.
Tim Seifert struggled to get going and got cleaned up on 10 in the 13th over. Hales scored 65 off 47 balls before getting knocked over on the last ball of the 15th over. It turned out to be the turning point in the game. The required run rate crept up. Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored a run-a-ball 13 before getting dismissed in the 18th over.
Janith Liyanage and Dwaine Pretorius found boundaries and kept the Marvels in the hunt. With nine required from the last over, Liyanage hit a boundary on the second ball to bring down the equation to 5 from 4. He fell on 25 on the next ball. The Marvels required 3 from the last over and Sahan Arachchige held his nerves and scooped one over short fine leg to hit a boundary and help his side chase down the total with five wickets in hand.
Earlier, the Jaffna Kings won the toss and opted to bat first. They lost Kusal Mendis cheaply on four. Pathum Nissanka was joined by Avishka Fernando as both led the recovery work for the Kings. Both kept the Marvels at bay and put a very good partnership. Nissanka brought up his fifty but fell soon on 51 as the 81-run stand came to an end.
It was a short stay for Rilee Rossouw as he got trapped in front of the stumps on one. Fernando continued playing his strokes and brought up his fifty. He departed on 59 in the 17th over. Cameos from skipper Charith Asalanka (33) and Dhananjaya de Silva (18) powered the Kings to 177/7 at the end of their 20 overs. Dwaine Pretorius, Isuru Udana and Zahoor Khan were among the wickets for the Marvels.
Stick around for the post-match presentation.
Chasing 178, the Galle Marvels got off to a rollicking start, thanks to their openers Niroshan Dickwella and Alex Hales. Both played some lovely strokes and made full use of the fielding restrictions. They put 66 between them before Dickwella fell on 27-ball 47 in the eighth over. Hales stepped on the accelerator after his skipper’s departure and got to his fifty.
Tim Seifert struggled to get going and got cleaned up on 10 in the 13th over. Hales scored 65 off 47 balls before getting knocked over on the last ball of the 15th over. It turned out to be the turning point in the game. The required run rate crept up. Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored a run-a-ball 13 before getting dismissed in the 18th over.
Janith Liyanage and Dwaine Pretorius found boundaries and kept the Marvels in the hunt. With nine required from the last over, Liyanage hit a boundary on the second ball to bring down the equation to 5 from 4. He fell on 25 on the next ball. The Marvels required 3 from the last over and Sahan Arachchige held his nerves and scooped one over short fine leg to hit a boundary and help his side chase down the total with five wickets in hand.
Earlier, the Jaffna Kings won the toss and opted to bat first. They lost Kusal Mendis cheaply on four. Pathum Nissanka was joined by Avishka Fernando as both led the recovery work for the Kings. Both kept the Marvels at bay and put a very good partnership. Nissanka brought up his fifty but fell soon on 51 as the 81-run stand came to an end.
It was a short stay for Rilee Rossouw as he got trapped in front of the stumps on one. Fernando continued playing his strokes and brought up his fifty. He departed on 59 in the 17th over. Cameos from skipper Charith Asalanka (33) and Dhananjaya de Silva (18) powered the Kings to 177/7 at the end of their 20 overs. Dwaine Pretorius, Isuru Udana and Zahoor Khan were among the wickets for the Marvels.
Stick around for the post-match presentation.
6:31 PM IST, Local Time: Time for the post-match presentation.
Player of the Match: Alex Hales
Alex Hales (Player of the Match): "Yeah, it's different from what I've been used to back in the UK. It's a little bit slower and took some adjusting.
I didn't get off to the most fluent of starts. I think I was at a run-a-ball for 16 or something like that. It took me a little bit of time, but I managed to cash in nicely in the middle there once I got used to the surface.
Yeah, he (Dickwella) definitely made my job a lot easier. He played really, really well, took the bowlers down from ball one, and made my job a lot easier. I think we owe a lot of that victory to the way he played at the start.
I just wanted to keep going. I mean, I was trying to get going in the power play, and it didn't quite happen, but I managed to find some good momentum in the middle. I was always looking to put the bowlers under pressure, and fortunately, today it worked."
I didn't get off to the most fluent of starts. I think I was at a run-a-ball for 16 or something like that. It took me a little bit of time, but I managed to cash in nicely in the middle there once I got used to the surface.
Yeah, he (Dickwella) definitely made my job a lot easier. He played really, really well, took the bowlers down from ball one, and made my job a lot easier. I think we owe a lot of that victory to the way he played at the start.
I just wanted to keep going. I mean, I was trying to get going in the power play, and it didn't quite happen, but I managed to find some good momentum in the middle. I was always looking to put the bowlers under pressure, and fortunately, today it worked."
Charith Asalanka (Jaffna Kings Captain): "I think we didn't had enough runs on the board. But still I think we gave them pace while bowling. We could have bowled slower balls.
I think Dhananjaya bowled fantastically well. But Niroshan batted well and the credit goes to them for playing so well at the top."
I think Dhananjaya bowled fantastically well. But Niroshan batted well and the credit goes to them for playing so well at the top."
Niroshan Dickwella (Galle Marvels Captain): "I just want to praise the Lord. I went out there with Alex and we decided to first get through the power play and then see how it goes. The wicket helped us as well. When we were bowling, it was a bit of a tricky wicket. It was gripping and on the slow side, but when we were batting, it was coming on nicely.
It was a good toss to lose. Even if we had won the toss, I would have chosen to bowl first because it was the first game of the tournament and we were playing on a used wicket. We didn't know how the wicket would behave. We dragged the game till the very end but managed to cross the line. We played well."
It was a good toss to lose. Even if we had won the toss, I would have chosen to bowl first because it was the first game of the tournament and we were playing on a used wicket. We didn't know how the wicket would behave. We dragged the game till the very end but managed to cross the line. We played well."
That brings an end to our coverage of this game. Keep joining us for more cricketing action all around the globe. For now, this is Akshay Bhide, signing off, on behalf of my co-commentator Deepak Prakash and scorer Bishal Mandal. Until next time, cheers and good bye.