Jaffna Titans and Hambantota Bangla Tigers clash for title today

 Jaffna Titans players celebrate a dismissal (Pic courtesy SLC) 

By M. Shamil Amit

The Lanka T10 League cricket tournament has reached the final stages with unbeaten Jaffna Titans and Hambantota Bangla Tigers qualifying to clash for the tournament's inaugural title which is scheduled to be played from 5.30 p.m. onwards at the Pallekele Stadium today.

The two teams booked berths to the final having contested in the three deciding matches which was the Qualifier 1, Eliminator and Qualifier 2 yesterday.

Jaffna Titans was the first team to make it to the final as they continued their winning streak when they recorded a 39 runs win over Hambantota Bangla Tigers in the Qualifier 1 encounter the team they will meet in the final.

Kusal Mendis who played a match winning knock of 79 in the previous match continued his form as he cracked another fine knock of 47 in 26 balls that included two boundaries and four sixes. Kusal along with Tom Abell put on a 51 runs stand in 22 balls for the third wicket for Jaffna Titans taking first lease of the wicket to make a score of 124 for 4.

Hambantota Bangla Tigers in pursuit of 125 runs for victory fell into deep trouble with their top five batsmen back in the pavilion with 40 runs on the board in the fifth over. They never recovered as they succumbed to Traveen Mathew who grabbed three scalps and added to that two crucial run outs sealed their fate as they were able to muster a score of only 85 runs.

In the second match which was the Eliminator clash, Galle Marvels prevailing against Kandy Bolts with a comfortable six wicket win to set up a battle against Hambantota Bangla Tigers in the Qualifier 2 to secure a spot to the title contest with unbeaten Jaffna Kings.

Kandy Bolts taking first lease of the wicket made a score of 120 for 4 and Galle Marvels in their run chase raced to the target in the ninth over.

The Qualifier 2 clash between Hambantota Bangla Tigers, the loser of the first match, and Galle Marvels winner of the Eliminator clash was expected to be a closely contested affair.

But it was not to be with Galle Marvels taking first lease of the wicket being able muster a score of only 90. However Hambantota Bangla Tigers began their run chase in an inauspicious manner as they lost their first two wickets with no runs on the board but they came back thanks to useful partnerships first of 38 runs for the third wicket between Kusal Perera and Shevon who shared a valuable 47 runs stand for the fourth wicket with skipper Dasun Shanaka which helped them to race to the target in the seventh over.

Jaffna Titans will come into the final as hot favorites due to the fact that they have been come out victorious against Hambantota Bangla Tigers on both the occasions that the two teams met each other and it’s left to be seen whether Hambantota Bangla Tigers would be able to turn the third time.