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The Jaffna Kings, on Tuesday, December 6, defeated the Galle Gladiators by 24 runs in Match No. 1 of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2022 at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.
After being put in to bat first, the Kings huffed and puffed to 137 in 19.5 overs. Dunith Wellalage and Shoaib Malik scored 30 runs apiece before getting out.
Dhananjaya de Silva also bit the dust after scoring 29 runs. Barring Pulina Tharanga, the Kings' bowlers were effective, as they all picked up two wickets apiece.
The Gladiators got off to a brilliant start, with Nuwanidu Fernando and Kusal Mendis putting on 58 runs for the opening wicket. But from there on, their innings went downhill as wickets started going down in heaps.
Kusal Mendis scored 51 runs but could not take his team past the finish line as Maheesh Theekshana sent him packing.
Imad Wasim hit Binura Fernando for a massive six down the ground before the left-arm seamer made amends.
Being the defending champions, the Kings picked up from where they had left off. At the halfway mark, it seemed that the Gladiators would canter home, but the Kings made a stupendous comeback to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Kusal Mendis tops run-charts in LPL 2022
Kusal Mendis is currently the leading run-scorer in the LPL, having scored 51 runs against the Gladiators, although his efforts went in vain.
Shoaib Malik and Dunith Wellalage are second and third, respectively, on the list. Dhananjaya de Silva is also among the leading run-scorers.
Binura Fernando tops bowling charts in LPL 2022
Left-arm fast bowler Binura Fernando is currently the leading wicket-taker after his three scalps against the Gladiators.
The pacer was excellent at the death and didn't allow the tailenders to get away. Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz and Iftikhar Ahmed also picked up two wickets apiece. They are placed in third, fourth and sixth positions, respectively.
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