In a nail-biting finish, the Jaffna Kings emerged victorious by a mere 1 run against the Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League 2024 Qualifier 2 held at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium. This victory propels Jaffna to the final, where they will face the Marvels.
The Jaffna Kings set a formidable target of 188 runs, thanks to a spectacular unbeaten century by Kusal Mendis. Mendis, who was rightly named the Player of the Match, played a scintillating knock of 105* off just 54 balls, featuring 12 fours and 5 sixes. His innings was the backbone of Jaffna’s total of 187/7 in 20 overs. Contributions from Azmatullah Omarzai (26 off 13) and quick runs from Fabian Allen (6 off 3) helped boost the total in the final overs.
For the Kandy Falcons, Chaturanga de Silva and Mohammad Hasnain were the pick of the bowlers, each claiming two wickets. However, the rest of the bowling attack struggled to contain Mendis, with Shanaka and Hasnain being particularly expensive.
In response, the Kandy Falcons started positively, with Andre Fletcher blasting 38 off 21 balls. However, regular wickets kept the pressure on Kandy, with key dismissals by Fabian Allen, who ended with impressive figures of 4/24. Despite valiant efforts from Kamindu Mendis (32 off 23) and a quickfire 30* off 11 from Ramesh Mendis, Kandy fell agonizingly short, finishing at 186/8.
The final over was a tense affair with Kandy needing 13 runs to win. Fabian Allen’s brilliant last over, which included two wickets and a mere six runs, sealed the deal for Jaffna. Vijayakanth Viyaskanth also played a crucial role with the ball, picking up 3/30 and breaking crucial partnerships.
This match witnessed Ramesh Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake’s unbeaten 42-run partnership, setting a new record for the highest 9th-wicket stand for Kandy Falcons in T20s. Despite their efforts, Jaffna’s strategic bowling changes and field placements under pressure ensured their narrowest margin of victory in T20 cricket, beating their previous record of a 6-run win against Colombo.
The victory means Jaffna Kings will now face the Marvels in the final, while Kandy Falcons’ campaign ends with a heart-breaking loss. This match will be remembered for Kusal Mendis’ masterclass and the thrilling last-over finish, epitomizing the excitement and unpredictability of the Lanka Premier League.
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