PALLEKELE: Babar Azam scored his maiden Lanka Premier League (LPL) century and powered Colombo Strikers to a thrilling seven-wicket victory over Galle Titans.
Set to chase a massive 189, the Strikers completed the pursuit on the penultimate delivery for the loss of three wickets, courtesy of a sensational century by Babar Azam.
Strikers’ openers Babar and Pathum Nissanka scripted a solid start to the pursuit as they added 111 runs before Tabraiz Shamsi drew a much-needed breakthrough for the Titans by dismissing Nissanka.
Nissanka scored an anchoring 54 off 40 deliveries, laced up with five boundaries and a six.
Babar Azam was then joined by Nuwanidu Fernando at the crease and the pair knitted a vital 55-run partnership for the second wicket.
The second-wicket stand was massively dominated by Babar while Fernando batted cautiously before falling to Shamsi in the 18th over. He could score eight off 13.
Despite Babar Azam’s blitz, the high-scoring encounter came right down to the wire with the Strikers needing 14 off the final over.
Kasun Rajitha, set to defend 14, bowled a fuller delivery outside off and Babar Azam holed it straight to the long-off fielder.
He smashed eight boundaries and five sixes on his way to a 59-ball 104.
The Strikers, with their mainstay back in the hut, looked in deep trouble but Mohammad Nawaz smashed Rajitha for a six and a boundary to seal the deal for the Strikers with one ball to spare.
Shamsi led the bowling attack for the Titans with 2/27 while Rajitha made one scalp.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, the Titans put on a commendable total of 188/3 in the allotted 20 overs at the back of a brilliant half-century by Tim Seifert and opening batter Shevon Daniel’s 49.
Seifert top-scored for the Titans with an unbeaten 54 off 35 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. Whereas, Daniel scored 49 from 31 deliveries with the help of five boundaries and two sixes.
Besides them, Lasith Croospulle (36 off 19) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (30 off 31) made notable contributions.
For the Strikers, Naseem Shah, Ramesh Mendis and Lakshan Sandakan picked up one wicket apiece.
A close seven-wicket victory lifted Colombo Strikers to the third in the LPL standings with four points in as many matches while the Titans remained at the second spot due to a superior net run rate.
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