Cricket Highlights, 12 Aug: LPL 2023 (Match 14) – Dambulla Aura vs Galle Titans: Dambulla Aura top the standings with their third win in a row

Dambulla Aura vs Galle Titans (Match 14) – Highlights

Dambulla Aura secured a big 7-wicket victory against Galle Titans in the 14th match of the Lankan Premier League (LPL) 2023. Along with this match, Dambulla Aura has reached the top of the points table by winning three matches in a row. On the other hand, Galle Titans are currently at the bottom of the standings securing two wins and getting defeated four times in 6 matches.

Dambulla Aura captain Kusal Mendis won the toss and decided to field first at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The innings of Galle Titans stopped at 133 runs after losing 9 wickets in 20 overs due to the controlled bowling of Dambulla Aura bowlers. In reply, Dambulla Aura cruised to victory with just 3 wickets to spare with 14 balls in hand. 

Chasing the target, Dambulla Aura’s opener Avishka Fernando started to take on the Galle Titans bowlers from the start. Thanks to him, Dambulla Aura picked up 40 runs without losing any wickets in 6 overs of power play. Captain Kusal gave worthy company to Avishka. But in the team’s 47 runs, he got out after scoring 18 runs off 24 balls.

But on the other hand, Avishka was playing as he was batting earlier. He formed a crucial partnership of 36 runs off 25 balls with Sadeera Samarawickrama. Samarawickrama scored 25 runs off 18 balls with the help of 4 boundaries. But Avishka left the field winning the game for his team. Dambulla Aura reached the brink of victory in 17.4 overs thanks to his unbeaten match-winning innings of 70 from 49 balls.  

Avishka hit an equal number of 3 fours and sixes in this innings. Courtesy of this brilliant innings, he was also adjudged Player of the Match. Apart from this, Kusal Perera remained unbeaten with 5 runs and Dhananjaya de Silva made 6 runs. Lahiru Kumara took the maximum number of 2 wickets for Galle Titans. Besides, the world’s best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan took 1 wicket conceding only 20 runs in 4 overs.

Before this, Galle Titans batsmen went down to bat first and were under pressure from the beginning due to the bowling canon of Dambulla Aura’s bowlers. They lost 2 wickets after scoring 36 runs in 6 overs of power play. Pacer Binura Fernando struck first in the Galle Titans camp. He sent back opener Tim Seifert (7) out for the team’s 14 runs. 

Then another opener Shevon Daniel (7 runs from 9 balls) returned to the pavilion after being a victim of Dhananjaya. After their departure, Chad Bowes and Shakib tried to lead the team forming a pair. However, they also failed to stay on the wicket due to the aggressive bowling of the bowlers. Bowes was dismissed for 22 from 18 balls and Shakib scored 13 from 13 balls. Besides, wicketkeeper-batsman Sohan de Livera scored 12 runs.

No batsman could play any big innings for Galle Titans on this day. In the end, Galle Titans got a fighting collection thanks to the patient innings of 36 runs from 26 balls by captain Dasun Shanaka. There were no sixes in his innings but there were 5 fours.  

All the bowlers got fired up and took wickets for Dambulla Aura in this match. Where Dushan Hemantha scalped the highest number of 2 wickets. But pacer Binura Fernando picked up 1 wicket with only 14 runs in 4 overs. Besides Hasan Ali, Noor Ahmad, Hayden Kerr, and Dhananjaya de Silva got 1 wicket each.

Dambulla Aura vs Galle Titans Scoreboard

Galle Titans – 133/9 (20.0)

Dambulla Aura – 134/3 (17.4)

Result – Dambulla Aura won by 7 wickets

Player of the match – Avishka Fernando

Avishka Fernando

Dambulla Aura vs Galle Titans Playing Xis