Allround Hasaranga leads Kandy to easy win over Jaffna
A fine allround performance by Wanindu Hasaranga helped B-Love Kandy ease to a comfortable 8-wicket win against title holders Jaffna Kings in the second double header game of LPL 4 at Pallekele yesterday. Electing to bowl first, Hasaranga put up an effective bowling performance, claiming three scalps before returning to guide B-Love Kandy to their third win of the competition with an epic 22-ball unbeaten 52.
After Angelo Mathews made an early breakthrough with the new ball to claim both wickets of Jaffna Kings openers – Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Charith Asalanka – by the third over, paceman Nuwan Pradeep and Hasaranga teamed up to claim three wickets each to restrict them to 117-9. B-Love Kandy lost two wickets, of openers Fakhar Zaman and Dinesh Chandimal, as Hasaranga cracked an unbeaten 52 off just 22 deliveries with five boundaries and three sixes, to reach the victory target with 42 deliveries to spare.
Jaffna, who suffered their third defeat this season, were in a spot of bother when they lost the entire top order and were made to struggle at 75-7 until spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage came to their rescue.
Wellalage remained unbeaten on 38 after facing 27 deliveries and hitting six fours and a six to take Jaffna Kings to a respectable total of 117-9.
Chipping in with useful contributions were Priyamal Perera (22) and David Miller (21) who batted with cautiously than usual. Perera’s run-a-ball 22 had a four and a six, while Miller too faced the similar amount of deliveries with three boundaries, but a surprising batting collapse was inevitable against a well-disciplined Kandy bowling attack.
Kandy made a steady start with their openers Zaman hitting 42 off 39 deliveries with couple of fours and two sixes, but Chandimal fell apart at 22 after facing 16 deliveries with three boundaries. After Chandimal fell at 31, Zaman got together with Hasaranga to form a stand of 71 runs as Kandy eased to an easy win with plenty of overs remaining.
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