Galle Gallants won their first Lanka Premier League title on Saturday night, beating Jaffna Kings by five wickets in a low-scoring final at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
Chasing 124, the Gallants got home at 126 for 5 in 15.5 overs with 25 balls to spare.
Asalanka and Malinga break the Kings
The final was settled by Galle’s bowling. Captain Charith Asalanka took 3 for 20 and Eshan Malinga 3 for 25 to dismantle a Jaffna batting order that never recovered its footing, with Tharindu Ratnayake adding two more wickets.
Kamil Mishara top-scored for the Kings with 41 off 32 balls and Chamindu Wickramasinghe made 25 from 16, but wickets fell at regular intervals and Jaffna were held to 123.
A wobble, then Shanaka closes it out
Galle lost Sam Harper in the opening over of the reply. Tom Rogers steadied the innings with 34 off 27 balls and Dinura Kalupahana pushed the rate along with 31 from 19.
Shakib Al Hasan briefly pulled Jaffna back into the game in the ninth over, removing both Rogers and Kalupahana, and Chamika Karunaratne followed. Dasun Shanaka and Sahan Arachchige saw out the chase without further alarm.
Asalanka was named Player of the Match for his 3 for 20. Mishara took Player of the Series.
First title after near misses
The win is the Gallants’ maiden LPL championship after earlier campaigns that fell short of the title, and it comes at the expense of the tournament’s most successful franchise. Galle had reached the final by beating Colombo Kaps in Qualifier 2 on Friday, setting up a rematch with the side that had knocked them into that play-off.
Organisers had opened the C and D stands to the public free of charge for the decider.
Sources: Daily Mirror, ESPNcricinfo.
