Wanindu Hasaranga in action this LPL 2023 season (SLC)
The stage is set for LPL to witness a new winner this time around, as a rampant Dambulla Aura is poised to meet B-Love Kandy in the final of the 2023 season. Earlier in the competition, both teams worked together to kick out defending champions and three-time winners Jaffna Kings from the playoffs itself.
In overall head-to-head record between the two sides across all LPL seasons, both Aura and B-Love Kandy have emerged victorious four times each in their eight meetings so far.
DA vs BLK: Team Previews
Dambulla Aura
Dambulla Aura is playing in a different league altogether, as they made sure to crush each of their season's four opponents en route to their unbeaten six-game winning streak. Notably, they lost their tournament opener to Galle Titans in a Super-Over, and sustained a big defeat to B-Love Kandy in their third outing. From thereon, the Aura launched their unbeaten juggernaut starting with close wins over Colombo Strikers and Jaffna Kings. Most recently, they handed a six-wicket hammering to Titans in Qualifier 1 to storm into the finals of the competition.
B-Love Kandy
Rebranding seems to be working this time around for the Kandy-based franchise as they have made their way into the finals of the LPL 2023 season, thus marking their best-ever LPL performance so far since the tournament's inception. For starters, B-Love Kandy finished third on the LPL 2023 points table at the end of the league stage, and upstaged defending champions Jaffna Kings and number two side Galle Titans in the playoffs to set a date with table-toppers Dambulla Aura for the title clash.
DA vs BLK: Match Details & Live Streaming
| Date and Time | August 20, 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Live Streaming and Broadcast | FanCode & Star Sports Network |
DA vs BLK: Colombo Pitch Report
The average first innings score at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium this season has been 147. Teams batting first seems to be having an upper hand here off late, as they have emerged victorious 56 percent of the time in 32 matches played at the venue. Pitch analysis indicate the surface is slightly more favourable for pacers, especially with the new ball upfront.
DA vs BLK: Probable Playing 11
Dambulla Aura: Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Alex Ross, Hayden Kerr, Dushan Hemantha, Hasan Ali, Binura Fernando and Noor Ahmad.
B-Love Kandy: Mohammad Haris, Thanuka Dabare, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Angelo Mathews, Chaturanga de Silva, Asif Ali, Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Sahan Arachchige, Lahiru Madushanka, Mohammad Hasnain and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
DA vs BLK: Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips
| Wicketkeepers | Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Mohammad Haris |
| Batters | Avishka Fernando |
| All-Rounders | Wanindu Hasaranga, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva |
| Bowlers | Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hasan Ali, Noor Ahmad |
| Captain | Dhananjaya de Silva |
| Vice-Captain | Wanindu Hasaranga |
DA vs BLK: Winner Prediction
Table-toppers and in-form Dambulla Aura will start out as favourites to defeat B-Love Kandy and clinch their first-ever LPL trophy at the 2023 final.
