PALLEKELE: Nuwanidu Fernando’s unbeaten half-century failed to trump Kusal Mendis’s 46-ball 87 as Dambulla Aura edged Colombo Strikers by 10 runs in the eighth match of the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023.

In a high-scoring game, Colombo Strikers fell 10 runs short of the 193-run target. They needed 31 runs off the final over but managed to score only 20.

Nuwanidu Fernando remained not out at 56 off 39 deliveries, while his partner Chamika Karunaratne scored 20 off seven balls. Noor Ahmed picked two wickets, while Hayden Kerr and Dhananjaya de Silva picked one wicket each.

After winning the toss, Colombo Strikers opted to bowl first, they inflicted early damage on Dambulla Aura in the form of Avishka Fernando’s wicket.

However, what followed that wicket was a clinical partnership between captain Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama. They added 120 runs for the second wicket.

Kusal Mendis scored 87 off 46 before falling to Naseem Shah, while Samarawickrama scored 59 runs from 35 balls as both fell in successive overs.

The Aura appeared to be in complete control to breach the 200-run landmark but a tight death bowling from Colombo Strikers restricted them to 192/6.

Matheesha Pathirana picked three wickets, while Naseem Shah bagged two wickets. Chamika Karunaratne gave 55 for his single wicket, whereas, Mohammad Nawaz conceded 37 runs off his three overs without any wicket.

Colombo Strikers got off to a poor start to the run chase as they lost their captain Niroshan Dickwella early with just 17 runs on the board.

Babar Azam was then joined by Pathum Nissanka and the pair knitted an anchoring 62-run partnership for the second wicket which lasted when the former was trapped leg-before wicket by Noor Ahmad.

He smashed seven boundaries amid his 24-ball 41.

Nissanka, who could contribute a mere 19 amid his second-wicket stand with Babar, failed to switch gears and finally perished in the 13th over.

He scored a cautious 22 off 28 deliveries, hitting one boundary and a six.

Following his departure, Fernando glimmered a ray of hope for the Strikers to pull off the run chase with belligerent hitting but his efforts came up as his side succumbed to a 10-run defeat.

His unbeaten 56-run knock featured four boundaries and as many sixes.

Noor Ahmad led the bowling attack for the Aura with 2/34 followed by Dhananjaya de Silva and Hayden Kerr picking up one wicket apiece.

Dambulla Aura will face Jaffna Kings in their next LPL game, while Colombo Strikers will battle against Galle Titans. Both games will be played on August 7.

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