Chandimal, Mathews, Shanaka guide Kandy Falcons to victory

By M. Shamil Amit reporting from Pallekele

(Daily Mirror) - Three experienced players and former Sri Lanka national captains Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shanaka combined to guide Kandy Falcons to record a comfortable six-wicket victory over Dambulla Sixers in the first match of the Lanka Premier League 2024 played at the Pallekele Stadium yesterday (1).

Kandy Falcons in pursuit of a challenging run chase of 180 runs after Chandimal slammed a 40-ball knock of 65 that included six boundaries and three sixes, having shared a valuable 56-run stand for the third wicket with Kamindu Mendis, were guided by two quick-fire unbeaten knocks by Angelo Mathews, who made 37 in 20 balls with five boundaries and a six, and Shanaka, who hit 46 in 15 balls inclusive of three boundaries and five sixes, who together put on an unbroken 72-run stand for the fifth wicket to help Kandy Falcons reach the target in the 18th over.

Earlier, two blistering knocks by Mark Chapman and Chamindu Wickramasinghe laid the foundation for Dambulla Sixers to recover when they were struggling on 29 for 4 in the fifth over with Chapman slamming 91 in 61 balls which had eight boundaries and four sixes while Wickramasinghe cracked a 42-ball 62 inclusive of four boundaries and three sixes.

The pair associated in a valuable unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 154 runs in only 95 balls which helped them to end their innings with a challenging score of 179 for 4 which proved to be in vain.

Today (2) two matches are down for decision with Galle Marvels meeting Jaffna Kings in the match scheduled to be played at 3.00 p.m. and Kandy Falcons confronting Colombo Strikers at 7.30 p.m. 

• Result:

At Pallekele Stadium – Kandy Falcons won by six wickets

• Dambulla Sixers 179 for 4 in 20 overs (Mark Chapman 91 n.o., Chamindu Wickramasinghe 62 n.o.: Dasun Shanaka 3/20)
• Kandy Falcons 183 for 4 in 17.2 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 65, Kamindu Mendis 27, Dasun Shanaka 46 n.o., Angelo Mathews 37 n.o.)

Pix by: Kushan Pathiraja