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Lpl 2021 Maheesh Theekshana Dhananjaya Lakshan Steal The Limelight In Jaffna And Galle Victories

LPL 2021 | Maheesh Theekshana, Dhananjaya Lakshan steal the limelight in Jaffna and Galle victories

It was once again a day of spinners in the Lanka Premier league 2021 as in both the games of the day, the spinners showed their magic and thwarted the opposition. However, the night belonged to pace bowling all-rounder Dhananjaya Lakshan who dismissed key en of the opposition made the ball talk.

In the day game, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga, playing for the Jaffna Kings floored the opposition Dambulla Giants’ batters as they took three wickets each and got the opposition all out for 110 only. Nuwanidu Fernando top-scored for the Giants in this game.

The Dasun Shanaka led side which was victorious in their first encounter of the league against Kandy Warriors on Monday was not even a pale shadow of itself today as all the batters failed big time. In their bowlers couldn't do much to put up a fight as the Kings didn’t find any inconvenience whatsoever in chasing down the total in only 12.3 overs.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore was the top scorer for the Jaffna side with an unbeaten 45 off only 30 balls and was supported well by Avishka Fernando who was asked to open and who scored 33. The Kings lost only two wickets while completing the chase.

Lakshan leads Galle to win

In the evening game, things got tight between the Galle Gladiators and the Kandy Warriors as the former was set a target of 144 to win in 20 overs. The chase did start well with the opening pair of Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka put up 62 runs for the first wicket in only 45 balls. However, things started to deteriorate in the middle and at one point the Gladiators were 88-4, needing 56 runs in 43 balls with two new men at the crease.

However quickfire runs, first from skipper Bahnuka Rajapaksa (22 off 13) and then Lakshan (10* off 4) and Lahiru Madushanka (22* off 13) made sure that the game was finished with four balls to spare.

Earlier in the evening, Lakshan shone with the ball too as he picked up crucial wickets of Charith Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis to restrict the Warriors for 143 after they had decided to bat first after winning the toss.

Post this win, the Gladiators now have four points from three games and are sitting at the top of the five-team table while the Warriors remain winless.

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