Avishka hits the winning runs, fittingly! Slower delivery dug into the track outside off. Avishka taps the ball on its head and dabs it down to third man to seal the deal and to send Dambulla Aura to the top of the points table!
Titans vs Aura, 14th Match at Colombo, LPL, Aug 11 2023 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
14th Match (N), Colombo (RPS), August 11, 2023, Lanka Premier League
133/9
(17.4/20 ov, T:134) 134/3
Aura won by 7 wickets (with 14 balls remaining)
New
DBA
Full commentary
11:06pm Right. That will be that from us for tonight. Hope you enjoyed our coverage. Until next time, this is me (Shashwat) saying goodbye on behalf of Thilak and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Goodnight and take care!
Kusal Mendis, the Dambulla Aura captain, says that he is happy to be at the top of the table. It was a tough toss and that they completely misread the pitch. He also said that better pitches will help the pitch and they are still unsure of what the best combinations are.
Dasun Shanaka, Galle Titans captain: (On losses stacking up) I expected the wicket to play better. Expected to be a high-scoring game. We did not bat well enough to get a win today. Part and parcel of the game, one team has to lose. (On spinners not rising to the occasion) We really expected the wicket to do well for the fast bowlers. We felt it would not play well for the spinners and that is why we kept Shamsi out. We all misread the pitch. (On where to improve) We need to play well in all departments. It has been a concern but we need to bounce back quickly. Of course, as a captain (you feel the heat) but you can always come back strongly.
Avishka Fernando is the Player of the Match for his 49-ball 70. He says it was not an easy pitch to bat on. He toiled hard and he tried to bat as long as possible. He is happy that he was able to get the job done.
10:50pm A clinical run-chase led by Avishka Fernando, who batted through the innings and ensured that there were no hiccups. He did not begin in pristine fashion, though, and had to graft his way in the powerplay. Luckily for the Dambulla Aura, he stuck around and as he spent more time at the crease, the fluency that so often characterises his knocks, returned. Samarawickrama also played a vital cameo in the middle phases, and that took the pressure off Avishka, allowing them to keep eating away at the total.
The Titans were good with the ball for large swathes but in the end, they just did not have enough runs to work with. Kumara, in his first three overs, was the pick of the bowlers, with Shakib also turning in a tidy display. To win, however, the Titans needed to dent the Aura early and that did not happen, meaning that they were playing catch-up thereafter.
17.4
1
Ngarava to Avishka Fernando, 1 run
Just one run needed now for victory for Dambulla Aura
17.3
4
Ngarava to Avishka Fernando, FOUR runs
four more! Width outside off and Avishka uses his blade like a knife, peeling the outer cover off the ball and scything it past third man
17.2
1
Ngarava to Dhananjaya, 1 run
slower delivery on a back of a length outside off. de Silva runs it down to third man for a single
17.1
4
Ngarava to Dhananjaya, FOUR runs
cheeky! Dug in short outside off. de Silva waits in his crease, uses the width and upper-cuts it delightfully over the keeper's head for four!
10 needed off the final three overs. Dambulla Aura should finish this off at a canter now. Ngarava returns
end of over 1719 runs
DAT: 124/3CRR: 7.29 • RRR: 3.33 • Need 10 runs from 18b
Avishka Fernando65 (47b 2x4 3x6)
Dhananjaya de Silva1 (5b)
Lahiru Kumara 4-0-31-2
Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-20-1
16.6
4
Lahiru Kumara to Avishka Fernando, FOUR runs
beautiful! Rank half-volley outside off and Kumara, in the space of three balls, has lost the plot completely. Avishka does not mind one bit, though, as he leans into his drive and times it exquisitely past cover point
Avishka punched the air in delight after that ball raced away to the fence. 14 off 19 now
16.6
5w
Lahiru Kumara to Avishka Fernando, 5 wide
wild bouncer that flies over the batter and the keeper's head. The worst outcome for the Titans and that might just be it, as far as the outcome of this contest is concerned!
16.5
6
Lahiru Kumara to Avishka Fernando, SIX runs
what a shot! Finally a slot ball outside off and Avishka climbs into it. Gets his front foot out of the way, crouches down low and creams it over wide long off!
16.4
1
Lahiru Kumara to Dhananjaya, 1 run
back of a length on leg stump. de Silva flicks it uppishly towards deep backward square leg to get off the mark
de Silva is 0 off 4 balls...
16.3
•
Lahiru Kumara to Dhananjaya, no run
length delivery just outside off that nips back in a touch. de Silva presses forward and blocks it back to the bowler
16.2
1
Lahiru Kumara to Avishka Fernando, 1 run
back of a length delivery just outside off. Avishka gives himself room and dabs it past backward point for one
16.1
2
Lahiru Kumara to Avishka Fernando, 2 runs
banged into the track at the batter. Avishka takes his eyes off the ball but manages to pull it well in front of square and into the gap. Deep square leg mops up and keeps it down to two
Kumara back for his final over
29 off 24. Required run-rate above seven runs per over now...
end of over 161 run • 1 wicket
DAT: 105/3CRR: 6.56 • RRR: 7.25 • Need 29 runs from 24b
Dhananjaya de Silva0 (3b)
Avishka Fernando52 (43b 1x4 2x6)
Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-20-1
Ashan Priyanjan 2-0-16-0
15.6
•
Shakib to Dhananjaya, no run
full and fired into off stump. Pushed to short extra cover
15.5
•
Shakib to Dhananjaya, no run
slightly shorter and quicker outside off. de Silva cuts it straight to backward point
15.4
•
Shakib to Dhananjaya, no run
length on off stump. de Silva comes half forward and defends it into the off side
Dhananjaya de Silva in at 5
That wicket will keep the Titans afloat for now but they really need a two or three-wicket salvo to turn things around. Dambulla Aura still well in control, especially with Avishka at the crease
15.3
W
Shakib to Perera, OUT
another big appeal, and given this time! Slightly slower and fuller on off stump. Perera has a wild slog across the line and misses it completely. The ball pins him on the back leg, in front of off stump and the umpire has no hesitation in raising his finger. Perera does not bother with the review and Dambulla Aura are now three down!
Kusal Perera lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 5 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 62.5
15.2
•
Shakib to Perera, no run
big appeal, not given! Flatter and quicker on a full length on off stump. Perera advances and swipes at it. Misses it completely and gets pinged on the pads. The umpire says not out but the Titans want to have another look. The 3-metre rule could come into play. If it doesn't, this looks pretty close. Okay, hang on. There is a spike as the ball is next to the bat, and we do not have to look at the impact and the 3-metre rule at all!
15.1
1
Shakib to Avishka Fernando, 1 run
shortish on off stump. Avishka hops back and punches it past extra cover for one
Shakib to bowl out
end of over 1511 runs
DAT: 104/2CRR: 6.93 • RRR: 6.00 • Need 30 runs from 30b
Avishka Fernando51 (42b 1x4 2x6)
Kusal Perera5 (6b)
Ashan Priyanjan 2-0-16-0
Shakib Al Hasan 3-0-19-0
14.6
1
Priyanjan to Avishka Fernando, 1 run
length outside off. Avishka comes half forward and stabs it down to long on
14.5
1
Priyanjan to Perera, 1 run
darted into the batter's toes. Perera tucks it away calmly for another single
Run-a-ball needed now
14.4
1
Priyanjan to Avishka Fernando, 1 run
fired in quicker on leg stump. Avishka taps it towards mid wicket and with the fielder on the edge of the circle, completes the single comfortably. Gets to his fifty too, off 41 balls!
Language
English
Win Probability
DBA 100%
GTDBA100%50%100%
Over 18 • DBA 134/3
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