PALLEKELE: Zahoor Khan’s brilliant bowling figures of 3/34, followed by Alex Hales’ anchoring half-century powered Galle Marvels to down Jaffna Kings in a last-ball Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2024 thriller here on Tuesday.
Set to chase 178, Sahan Arachchige hit the winning runs for the Marvels on the final delivery when he smashed Asitha Fernando for a four under pressure.
Experienced openers Alex Hales and Niroshan Dickwella earlier gave the Marvels a solid start, putting together 66 before the latter departed on the first delivery of the eighth over after a quickfire knock.
Dickwella remained a notable run-getter for the Marvels with a 27-ball 47, laced up with eight boundaries and a six.
Hales then put on a one-sided partnership with Tim Seifert (10), which yielded 44 runs before both perished in quick succession with the scoreboard reading 127/3 in 15 overs.
Alex Hales remained the top-scorer for the Marvels with 65 off 47 balls, hitting seven boundaries and two sixes.
Later, Janith Liyanage’s 25-run cameo, followed by vital contributions from Dwaine Pretorius (9*) and Sahan Arachchige (5*), which sealed the deal for the Marvels.
Fabian Allen and Asitha Fernando bagged two wickets each for the Kings while Dhananjaya de Silva chipped in with a wicket.
Opting to bat first, Jaffna Kings registered 177/7, courtesy of Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando’s half-centuries.
The duo recorded an anchoring 81-run partnership for the second wicket to recover the Kings from a shaky start.
Nissanka walked back in the 13th over after 33-ball 51 which featured six fours and two sixes while Fernando fell in the 17th over after top-scoring for the Kings with 59 off 48.
Later, skipper Charith Assalanka bolstered the Kings’ total with a brisk cameo. He hit three fours and two sixes on his way to a 15-ball 33.
Zahoor Khan led the bowling charge for the Marvels with three wickets, followed by Isuru Udana and Pretorius, who claimed two each.
The five-wicket victory took Galle Marvels to the second in the LPL 2024 standings while Jaffna Kings claimed the third spot.
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