106/5 (10.0)
CR : 10.60
111/9 (10.0)
CR : 11.10
Kandy Bolts won by 5 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Thisara Perera
2/110(1)
KB won by 5 runs
8:09 PM IST, Local Time: PHEW! A last-ball thriller in the virtual knockout and Kandy Bolts edged out Nuwara Eliya Kings by 5 runs, securing their place in the playoffs.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, Pathum Nissanka went honkers and bonkers from the outset and provided Kandy Bolts a rollicking start.
However, Rajitha wreaked havoc with the ball and removed George Munsey and Thisara Perera on consecutive balls. Nissanka failed to convert his start into a big score and fell 9 short of his fifty, falling prey to Howell. Shehan Jayasuriya chipped with a rapid 33 runs off just 11 balls and provided the necessary acceleration but Nuwara Eliya Kings staged a solid comeback and took wickets regularly. Kasun Rajitha capped off his exceptional performance with a hat-trick and finished with outstanding figures of 4/16.
The lower-order batters struggled to find boundaries in the final overs, and the Bolts were eventually restricted to a score of Nelson in their 10-over quota.
Kasun Rajitha shone with the ball for the Kings, claiming 4 wickets. Lahiru Madushanka chipped in with a couple of scalps, while Chamika Karunaratne and Benny Howell bagged one wicket each.
In response to 111 runs, Kyle Mayers and Avishka Fernando provided a rollicking start to the Kings. The former was more aggressive between the duo and smashed boundaries for fun. However, Thisara Perera came into the attack and removed Mayers (36) and Lahiru Madushanka (0) on consecutive balls and turned the tide of the game. The back-to-back wickets proved a turning point in the game as Nuwara Eliya Kings started losing wickets regularly.
Avishka (50*) shifted gears at the tail end and once again shifted the momentum of the game, smashing a flurry of boundaries. The equation was reduced to 14 runs off the final over but Thisara Perera held his nerve and sealed the game for the Bolts, conceding just 8 runs in the over.
Thisara Perera and Arinesto Vezha bagged a couple of wickets each for the Bolts, but the latter was a bit expensive. Seekkuge Prasanna celebrated a solitary wicket.
Stay tuned for the presentation....
Earlier, after opting to bat first, Pathum Nissanka went honkers and bonkers from the outset and provided Kandy Bolts a rollicking start.
However, Rajitha wreaked havoc with the ball and removed George Munsey and Thisara Perera on consecutive balls. Nissanka failed to convert his start into a big score and fell 9 short of his fifty, falling prey to Howell. Shehan Jayasuriya chipped with a rapid 33 runs off just 11 balls and provided the necessary acceleration but Nuwara Eliya Kings staged a solid comeback and took wickets regularly. Kasun Rajitha capped off his exceptional performance with a hat-trick and finished with outstanding figures of 4/16.
The lower-order batters struggled to find boundaries in the final overs, and the Bolts were eventually restricted to a score of Nelson in their 10-over quota.
Kasun Rajitha shone with the ball for the Kings, claiming 4 wickets. Lahiru Madushanka chipped in with a couple of scalps, while Chamika Karunaratne and Benny Howell bagged one wicket each.
In response to 111 runs, Kyle Mayers and Avishka Fernando provided a rollicking start to the Kings. The former was more aggressive between the duo and smashed boundaries for fun. However, Thisara Perera came into the attack and removed Mayers (36) and Lahiru Madushanka (0) on consecutive balls and turned the tide of the game. The back-to-back wickets proved a turning point in the game as Nuwara Eliya Kings started losing wickets regularly.
Avishka (50*) shifted gears at the tail end and once again shifted the momentum of the game, smashing a flurry of boundaries. The equation was reduced to 14 runs off the final over but Thisara Perera held his nerve and sealed the game for the Bolts, conceding just 8 runs in the over.
Thisara Perera and Arinesto Vezha bagged a couple of wickets each for the Bolts, but the latter was a bit expensive. Seekkuge Prasanna celebrated a solitary wicket.
Stay tuned for the presentation....
Time for the post-match presentation...
Game Flip Moment of the Match: Kasun Rajitha
Catch of the Match: Pathum Nissanka
Power Hitter of the Match: Pathum Nissanka
Player of the Match: Thisara Perera
Thisara Perera (Player of the Match and Kandy Bolts Captain): "We all knew this was a must-win game, so we approached it as a team. While our batting unit didn’t fully click, and though we started well, we couldn’t execute our plans as we wanted.
However, I think our bowling unit did a great job because we had to win this match to progress to the next level. I believe we performed well overall, and we’re looking forward to giving our best in the upcoming games. We don’t think about winning or losing; we just aim to perform our best as a team."
However, I think our bowling unit did a great job because we had to win this match to progress to the next level. I believe we performed well overall, and we’re looking forward to giving our best in the upcoming games. We don’t think about winning or losing; we just aim to perform our best as a team."
Kandy Bolts held their nerve in the last-ball thriller and secured their place in the playoffs. Time to wrap up this coverage. For now, this is Deepak Prakash signing off on behalf of scorer/analyst Raju Khariya. CHEERS!