09/12Result
16th Match (D/N), Lanka Premier League at Hambantota, Dec 9 2020
Tuskers won by 6 wkts (5b rem)
Player of the Match
Asela Gunaratne
Asela GunaratneKandy Falcons
09/12Result
16th Match (D/N), Lanka Premier League at Hambantota, Dec 9 2020
Tuskers won by 6 wkts (5b rem)
Player of the Match
Asela Gunaratne
Asela GunaratneKandy Falcons

Stallions are trying out various combinations, but you still have to say this was a bit of an upset. Their batting just never got moving today, despite a half century from Shoaib Malik. Tuskers bowlers kept making breakthroughs and kept a lid on the scoring.

That's it from our coverage of this match. Join us for the Dambulla Viiking v Galle Gladiators match that's due to start shortly.

***

Gunaratne is man of the match: "I'm really happy that this kind of tournament happened with everything that is happening in the country. I was bowling well but I hadn't batted well before today, so I'm glad I was able to do that."

Kusal Perera: "We didn't have to take too many risks, and because we were only four wickets down, I was confident. Asela and Irfan did well. We're not thinking about winning or losing tomorrow. We'll come to try to do our best."

Thisara Perera: "We are trying to bat first because we were chasing really easily. It was an experiment. We were 15-20 runs short today."

***

Gunaratne was immense with bat and ball this match. His spell of 21 for 2 kept the Stallions pinned during the middle overs, with Dilruwan Perera bowling nicely at the other end as well. Then with the bat, he came in with three wickets having fallen in the Powerplay, put on a measured fifty-plus stand with Kusal Perera, then made sure he stuck around to usher Tuskers past Stallions' modest total. The game-clinching six also took him past fifty.

It's a vital win for Tuskers who are of course in that neck-and-neck battle for the fourth semi-final position with Galle Gladiators, whom they play tomorrow. That will be Tuskers' last league game, but a win here means that even if they lose tomorrow, they are not necessarily out, as long as Gladiators lose their last game by a substantial margin (Gladiators' NRR is not as bad as Tuskers). If they win tomorrow, though, Tuskers are definitely through to the semi-finals.

19.1
6
Olivier to Gunaratne, SIX, that's the game, and a fitting end, with Gunaratne hitting the winning runs in emphatic fashion. It's an offcutter from Olivier, but Asela has run down the pitch at him and turned this length ball into a half volley. He opens his shoulders and launches the ball high over cow corner for six.

END OF OVER:
19 | 11 Runs | KAF: 145/4 (6 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 7.63, RRR: 6.00)

  • Irfan Pathan25 (19b)
  • Asela Gunaratne46 (36b)
  • Usman Shinwari4-0-35-0
  • Duanne Olivier3-0-18-1
18.6
4
Usman Shinwari to Pathan, FOUR, low full toss wide of off stump, carved powerfully over cover, to get a boundary to end the over. That should make the last over a lot more manageable
18.5
0
Usman Shinwari to Pathan, no run, bouncer, which Pathan has a swipe at but misses. I think that's a little over head high actually. Probably should have been a wide
18.4
1
Usman Shinwari to Gunaratne, 1 run,
18.3
1
Usman Shinwari to Pathan, 1 run, length ball outside off stump, Pathan tries to launch that down the ground but mis-hits the slower ball. Gets it off the toe of the bat and hits it on the bounce to long on
18.2
5
Usman Shinwari to Gunaratne, 5 runs, they've had no luck here. Four overthrows off a deflection off Gunaratne's bat. Gunaratne digs this out and it goes to short third man, where Hasaranga picks up and aims a throw at the non-striker's stumps. He would have been out if it was a direct hit, and the deflection means the ball doesn't go to the fielder backing up. Stallions ask if Gunaratne was obstructing the field there, and actually, they have half a case. Gunaratne did stick his bat out to ground it a little bit early. But you probably can't give that out
18.1
0
Usman Shinwari to Gunaratne, no run, yorker on leg stump to start. There's a half-appeal but that's going down leg. Asela tries to scramble a single but is turned back. Shinwari runs forward to get the ball and throw at the stumps but doesn't collect cleanly.

Shinwari to bowl the 19th.

END OF OVER:
18 | 6 Runs | KAF: 134/4 (17 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 7.44, RRR: 8.50)

  • Irfan Pathan20 (16b)
  • Asela Gunaratne40 (33b)
  • Duanne Olivier3-0-18-1
  • Vijayakanth Viyaskanth2-0-18-0
17.6
0
Olivier to Pathan, no run, bouncer at Pathan's throat. He tries to swipe this away through the legside, but doesn't connect.
17.5
1
Olivier to Gunaratne, 1 run, gets the dab right this time - it's a pace-on length ball outside off, and an easy single
17.4
0
Olivier to Gunaratne, no run, slower one outside off again, Gunaratne tries to dab it again, but doesn't connect that well. It dribbles off the the keeper
17.3
0
Olivier to Gunaratne, no run, slower length ball outside off stump. Gunaratne tries to guide it fine but misses
17.2
4
Olivier to Gunaratne, FOUR, too full on the legs and that's flicked easily, over short fine leg for four. The fielder there couldn't quite climb high enough pull that in
17.1
1
Olivier to Pathan, 1 run, short of a length ball, outside off stump. Slapped away to sweeper cover

Duanne Olivier in to bowl the 18th.

END OF OVER:
17 | 7 Runs | KAF: 128/4 (23 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 7.52, RRR: 7.66)

  • Irfan Pathan19 (14b)
  • Asela Gunaratne35 (29b)
  • Vijayakanth Viyaskanth2-0-18-0
  • Shoaib Malik1-0-10-0
16.6
1
Viyaskanth to Pathan, 1 run, shorter in length, and pushed through. Pathan goes back and pulls it to deep square leg
16.5
1
Viyaskanth to Gunaratne, 1 run, tossed up on the stumps, whipped away to deep midwicket for a single
16.4
4
Viyaskanth to Gunaratne, FOUR, tossed up and legsideish, swept fine, and it runs away off an inside edge for a boundary
16.3
0
Viyaskanth to Gunaratne, no run, ooof, that was inches from nicking the top of middle stump. Gunaratne makes room and tries to slap this through off, but misses completely, and it passes just over the stump

Gunaratne will try to target him

16.2
1
Viyaskanth to Pathan, 1 run, slightly shorter, and another legbreak. Pathan goes back and cuts this to deep point for one
16.1
0
Viyaskanth to Pathan, no run, slow, loopy legbreak to start. Pathan tries to prod this away on the offside. Nor un

Viyaskanth in to bowl a pressure over here. Stallions need wickets.

END OF OVER:
16 | 10 Runs | KAF: 121/4 (30 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 7.56, RRR: 7.50)

  • Irfan Pathan17 (11b)
  • Asela Gunaratne30 (26b)
  • Shoaib Malik1-0-10-0
  • Usman Shinwari3-0-24-0
15.6
1
Shoaib Malik to Pathan, 1 run, flat and fast again, and worked to the legside for a single to finish. Good over for Tuskers
15.5
4
Shoaib Malik to Pathan, FOUR, this is a fine boundary. A little bit short, and too wide, with this flatter, faster delivery. Pathan cuts this and does so powerfully enough to beat a dove from Thisara Perera at short third man and gets a boundary
15.4
1
Shoaib Malik to Gunaratne, 1 run, flatter delivery, pitched on middle and straightening. Asela makes room and punches this to sweeper cover
15.3
1
Shoaib Malik to Pathan, 1 run, length outside off, slower through the air. Pathan tries to push it through the offside, but gets a big bottom edge and they run one as it bounces away behind the keeper

Tuskers 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st19MDKJ PereraRahmanullah Gurbaz
2nd12MDKJ PereraBKG Mendis
3rd13BRM TaylorMDKJ Perera
4th51MDKJ PereraDAS Gunaratne
5th56IK PathanDAS Gunaratne