11.15pm And that is that from the first LPL 2024 game in Dambulla. It turned out to be a cracker, and we thoroughly enjoyed bringing it to you. We hope you enjoyed it as well. Until next time, goodbye!
Charith Asalanka, Jaffna captain: "I'm very pleased, first of all I want to give credit to the bowlers. To keep them under 190 was amazing in these conditions. I was planning to keep them under 200, and knew we can chase it."
Niroshan Dickwella, Galle captain: "I think we were 10 runs short. In the powerplay they really bowled well, they won the powerplay when we were batting. Ball was moving a bit, and we wanted to keep wickets in hand, and then go at the end. Their fast bowlers hit the deck and there was seam movement and swing as well. All these three games, we have played good cricket, even today."
Azmatullah Omarzai is the Player of the Match. "When I went in, there was no time to get set, you had to go from first ball, so I went and played my natural game. We were not under pressure because they were one bowler short and we knew we could go for it in the last over."
11.03pm Another terrific contest between two of the better teams in this competition. Jaffna have leapfrogged Galle to the top of the table. Both teams have the same points total at this stage, but Jaffna have the better NRR. A century from Tim Seifert earlier in the day, but both he and Galle are perhaps now paying for a slow start. Terrific efforts from Mendis, Rossouw and Omarzai to ace the chase for Jaffna. Excellent spell with the ball earlier in the day from Omarzai, we mustn't forget, particularly the new-ball swing.
I failed to mention it, but Omarzai has been batting bare-headed through this over.
It comes down to 13 off the last over, with Arachchige to bowl his offbreaks. Over the wicket to Omarzai.
END OF OVER:19 | 14 Runs | JK: 175/5 (13 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.21, RRR: 13.00)
- Charith Asalanka14 (8b)
- Azmatullah Omarzai19 (9b)
- Dwaine Pretorius4-0-34-1
- Isuru Udana4-0-42-1
15 off 7.
Back round tjhe wicket to Asalanka.
24 off 9.
back round the wicket to the left-hander.
26 off 11 now... Over the wicket to Omarzai.
Pretorius. Round the wicket to Asalanka.
END OF OVER:18 | 16 Runs | JK: 161/5 (27 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.94, RRR: 13.50)
- Azmatullah Omarzai17 (7b)
- Charith Asalanka4 (4b)
- Isuru Udana4-0-42-1
- Zahoor Khan4-0-33-2
Mid-off and extra-cover still inside the circle.
Udana. Left-arm over.
END OF OVER:17 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | JK: 145/5 (43 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.52, RRR: 14.33)
- Azmatullah Omarzai2 (2b)
- Charith Asalanka3 (3b)
- Zahoor Khan4-0-33-2
- Maheesh Theekshana4-0-29-1
11 runs and two wickets in the Power Blast overs. Galle are on top now, but Jaffna aren't out of it.
Round the wicket to the left-hander.
Azmatullah Omarzai is in at No. 7. Zahoor goes over the wicket.
RR Rossouw c Liyanage b Zahoor Khan 67 (42b 8x4 3x6) SR: 159.52