LPL: Colombo Stars win as Gladiators collapse

Colombo Stars finally ended their 3 match losing streak.

They are currently in 4th spot on the points table after beating Galle Gladiators, who collapsed badly in the end, losing their last 9 wickets in no time. 

Colombo Stars   18 overs    162-7

Mathews   73(57)          Lakshan 2-22                                                                                                            Chandimal 36(14)          S. Patel   2-23

Galle Gladiators  16.5 overs   121 all-out

K. Mendis 64(39)          Naveen 3-27                                                                                                                            M. Hafeez 16(20)         Prasanna 2-23

Rain again interrupted and this match was reduced to a total of 18 overs per side.

Colombo elected to bat first after winning the toss.

Their skipper, Mathews playing his first game in this season came on as an opener today to lead his from the front.

Colombo Stars lost their opener and key player, Pathum Nissanka in the second over of the innings.

Nissanka was dismissed by Patel on just 1 run.

Priyanjan joined his skipper and created a solid 64 run stand for the second wicket.

Udana caught and bowled Priyanjan on just 23 runs. 

Mathews performs under pressure

Mathews played a superb knock today, he remained focussed while wickets were crumbling on the other end.

Mathews scored 73 runs off 57 balls.

His knock included 8 fours and 3 sixes.

After the dismissal of Priyanjan, wickets started to fall quickly but Mathews controlled the situation brilliantly. 

Chandimal played a very outstanding knock at the end of the innings.

His quick little cameo helped his side reach 162.

Chandimal scored 36 runs off just 14 balls including 4 fours and 2 sixes.

Samit Patel and Dhananjaya Lakshan picked up 2 wickets each.

M. Amir picked up only 1 wicket buy he was once again very economical in his spell. 

The Galle Gladiators lost their opener Danushka Gunathilaka in the 3rd over of the innings.

Gunathilaka scored 14 runs off 11 balls (1 four and 1 six) before getting caught out in Prasanna’s over.

The senior batter, M Hafeez came to bat at No 3 to join Kusal Mendis.

Hafeez and Mendis added 51 runs for the second wicket.

Mendis was batting brilliantly today as he was hitting boundaries with ease.

On the other hand, professor Hafeez was not looking in great touch as he scored 16 runs off 20 balls.

The required run rate was increasing with every single ball and that’s why Hafeez was caught in a try to hit a six in Samit Patel’s over. 

Hafeez dismissal leads to domino effect

Gladiators were 81-1in the 10th over but after the dismissal of M. Hafeez, they faced a huge collapse in their batting lineup.

Gladiators lost their remaining 9 wickets in the next 43 balls and scored 40 off those 43 balls.

The whole team was dismissed for just 121 in the 17th over.

Naveen ul Haq picked up 3 wickets while Prasanna and Rampaul picked up 2 wickets each in their 4 overs.

Priyanjan and Chameera also got 1 wicket each.