Kings, Giants battle with spot in LPL final on the line

Thisara Perera

By M. Shamil Amit Reporting from Sooriyawewa

The Jaffna Kings and the Dambulla Giants will battle it out in Qualifier 2 of the Lanka Premier League Playoffs today from 7:30 p.m. at the Sooriyawewa Stadium in Hambantota, with a spot in Wednesday’s final on the line. 
The winner will take on the Galle Gladiators, who on Sunday qualified for the final with a comfortable 64-run win over the Kings in Qualifier 1. 

The Jaffna Kings, led by Thisara Perera, finished on top of the group stage points table, winning six matches with the two defeats coming at the hands of the Gladiators.  

The Giants, who were led during the first round by Dasun Shanaka, recorded three wins and a no result, losing three matches, before overcoming Colombo Stars by six wickets in the Elimator encounter also played on Sunday.
The scale is in favour of Jaffna Kings who in the previous two matches in the preliminary stage recorded convincing wins by seven and eight wickets respectively.

However, they will have to quickly put behind the defeat to the Gladiators on Sunday, with their usually strong batting line up not able to chase down the 189-run target. 

On the other hand, the Giants, with a victory in the playoffs, will come into the game with confidence due to the win against the Colombo Stars on Sunday.

They will pin their hopes on Niroshan Dickwella, who was stand in captain on Sunday in place of injured Shanaka, and Phil Salt who is among the top scorers in the tournament.