Cricket Highlights, 16 Aug: LPL 2023 (Match 20) – Colombo Strikers vs Galle Titans: Galle Titans confirmed the playoffs by defeating Colombo Strikers

Colombo Strikers vs Galle Titans (Match 20) – Highlights

The Galle Titans secured their place in the qualifier round of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 by defeating Colombo Strikers by a massive margin of 8 wickets on Tuesday (August 15). Shakib Al Hasan and Lasith Croospulle helped the team to reach the desired target of 75 runs in just 8.3 overs. On the other hand, Chamika Karunaratne’s Colombo Strikers were knocked out of the tournament with a bad loss.

Shakib remained unbeaten with 17 runs off 15 balls with the help of 2 boundaries. Croospulle played brilliant unbeaten innings of 42 off 25 balls, he scored 4 fours and 3 sixes. The unbeaten pair of these two slashed 46 runs. Earlier, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who came down in the opening, got out after playing an innings of 6 runs from 7 balls.  

Litton Das, who played in the LPL for the first time, could not do well after coming to the crease. He was caught at deep cover while scoring 1 run off 4 balls. Iftikhar Ahmed and Jeffrey Vandersay took 1 wicket each for Colombo Strikers. Shoriful Islam, who got a chance in the XI of Colombo Strikers for the first time in the whole season, bowled 1 over and conceded 7 runs but remained wicketless.

Earlier, after losing the toss and batting first, Colombo Strikers could not put up any fight with the bat against the fierce bowling of Tabriz Shamsi, Shakib Al Hasan, and Seekkuge Prasanna. They were bowled out for just 74 runs playing 15.4 overs.  

From the beginning of the day, the bowlers of Galle Titans pressed Colombo Strikers. Lahiru Kumara hit a double blow first. Colombo Strikers’ two openers Pathum Nissanka (2) and Babar Azam (6) returned to the dugout, misreading his pace and swing. Then Shamsi came as a trump card and Shakib joined him in the bowling attack. At one end, the Proteas leg spinner continued to crush the Colombo Strikers’ batters with spin and googly.

Despite not getting a wicket at the other end, Shakib slowed down the pace of runs with controlled bowling. Shamsi took the wickets of Lahiru Udara, Nipun Dhananjaya, Nuwanidu Fernando, and Mohammad Nawaz one by one. Udara scored 14 from 16 balls, Nipun made 13 from 9 balls, Nuwanidu got 14 from 11 balls and Nawaz managed to collect just 11 from 15 balls.

Then Prasanna joined the wicket festival. Karunaratne, Shoriful, and Vandersay were cornered by the swing of the Lankan leg-spinner. In the end, Shakib ended the innings of the Colombo Strikers by taking the wicket of Iftikhar Ahmed.

Tabraiz Shamsi scalped the highest number of 4 wickets at the cost of 20 runs for Galle Titans. He was also selected as the player of the match. Besides, Seekkuge Prasanna picked up three wickets conceding just 14 runs. On the other hand, Shakib was quite frugal in bowling. This Tiger all-rounder picked up 1 wicket at the cost of 8 runs at an economy rate of just 2.18 in 3.4 overs.  

Galle Titans will face Dambulla Aura in the first match of the day tomorrow in Qualifier 1. On the other hand, B-Love Kandy will take on the defending champions Jaffna Kings in the 2nd match of the day’s eliminator.

Colombo Strikers vs Galle Titans Scoreboard

Colombo Strikers – 74/10 (15.4)

Galle Titans – 75/2 (8.3)

Result – Galle Titans won by 8 wickets

Player of the match – Tabraiz Shamsi

Tabraiz Shamsi

Colombo Strikers vs Galle Titans Playing Xis