Pallekele: Wanindu Hasaranga’s all-round exploits guided B-Love Kandy to a thumping 89-run victory against Galle Titans in the 12th game of the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL).
Hasaranga, who has been in tremendous form in LPL this year, played a blitzing knock of 65 off 27, before decimating Galle Titans’ batting lineup with figures of 4-17.
Galle Titans captain Dasun Shanaka opted to bowl first after winning the toss. They drew first blood as Richard Ngarava sent Mohammad Haris back to the dugout.
However, they failed to capitalize on the early damage as Fakhar Zaman and Dinesh Chandimal stitched a solid 49-run partnership before the latter was removed by Tabraiz Shamsi with 75 runs on the board in nine overs.
Zaman was joined by Angelo Mathews in the middle and cautiously, while the opener anchored the innings before hitting a four and six off successive deliveries of Tabraiz Shamsi to bolster the total.
He added three more runs to his tally before falling to a magnificent catch at long-on by Ngarava off Lahiru Samarakoon. Zaman’s 35-ball 45 featured three boundaries and two sixes.
The scoreboard read 103-3 in 12.1 overs when Hasaranga came out to bat, fancying his match-winning half-century (52* off 22) against Jaffna Kings in the last match.
Hasaranga dominated the Titans’ bowlers and soon raced to 38 off 15 before Angelo Mathews joined the party with a six off Kasun Rajitha. Together, they stitched a vital partnership of 87 off 38 balls.
The destructive partnership was broken when Mathews was removed at a total of 190 by Samarakoon, courtesy of a brilliant catch by Kasun Rajitha. Mathews scored a 23-ball 40, featuring three boundaries and two sixes.
Hasaranga was still on the crease, eyeing a 200-run landmark, but he was caught at mid-wicket by Shevon Daniel off Rajitha. His blistering knock of 64 off 27 was laced with nine boundaries and two sixes.
Isuru Udana scored two off the next delivery to reach the 200-run mark, the first of LPL 2023, before the innings ended at 203 with the loss of five wickets.
Lahiru Samarakoon picked two wickets for 31 runs, while Shamsi, Rajitha and Ngarava picked one apiece.
Galle Titans started the mammoth chase on a high as Lasith Croospulle scored 11 runs off the first over, bowled by Mathews.
However, Mujeeb Ur Rahman cut their flying start short by removing Shevon Daniel (0) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (5) in his successive overs.
Lasith Croospulle continued to attack from the other end, before being cleaned up by Hasaranga in his first over. Croospulle played a quick cameo of 27 off 17.
Wanindu Hasaranga then removed a struggling Shakib Al Hasan (11 off 12), which reduced Galle Titans to 47-6 in the ninth over.
Ashan Priyanjan and Lahiru Samarakoon then formed a solid partnership of 62 off 45 balls, however, the mounting required run rate maintained pressure on both batters.
Subsequently, the asking run rate got the better of both batters, sent packing by Nuwan Pradeep in the span of three deliveries, leaving Titans requiring 93 runs from four overs with two wickets in hand.
Hasaranga then picked the final two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the next over to seal a dominant triumph for B-Love Kandy.
Samarakoon top-scored for the Titans with 36 off 25 balls, hitting one boundary and four sixes.
Wanindu Hasaranga finished with figures of four wickets for 17 runs, while Pradeep picked up three wickets.
The victory helped B-Love Kandy improve their net-run rate and jump to the top of the table in LPL 2023, while Galle Titans sank to the bottom.
Galle Titans will face Dambulla Aura in their next game on August 11, while B-Love Kandy will square off against holders Jaffna Kings on August 12.
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