LPL Opener As It Happened: Colombo Kings edge LPL opener, win in Super Over

That's the win for the Colombo Kings. Udana at the centre of it all. First with the bat, bringing the Kings back into a game that they seemed to have lost when Andre Russell was caught in the 17th over and 52 runs still required. He found an equally determined partner in Qais Ahmad who scored 15 off 8, before brining the Kings in par with the Tuskers score off the last ball of the over. He then returned to bowl the Super Over, where he conceded 12 runs defending 16, though he was very lucky to not have a wide called off the fourth ball -- a missed call the Tuskers would feel hard done by. 

Dinesh Chadimal is Man of the Match for his 80 off 46 balls. 

We'll be back tomorrow for the second matchday of the Lanka Premier League. 

Kusal Perera swipes and the ball lands in the outfield. Colombo win the Super Over. 

Udana escapes a wide call and concedes a single. Six needed off 1

Smoked! Gurbaz slams Udana back down for a six! 7 needed off 3

Gurbaz walks well outisde off stump but misses the first ball but redeems himself with a boundary. 

Udana to bowl for Colombo Kings. Kusal Janith Perera and Rahmanullah Gurbaz will try to win this game for the Kandy Tuskers. 

16 off that over for Colombo

Udana falls of the second ball of the second over, but Russell clears Pradeep for 6 on the next ball. 12 so far. 

Andre Russell and Udana to bat in the Super Over, Pradeep to bowl for the Tuskers

Off what an end. Gunaratne does well to peg Udana back, but it's not enough to win the game. Udana runs two and the scores are tied at 219. 

Brilliant innings from Udana who has scored 34 off 12 to bring Colombo Kings back into this game. 

2 off the last ball means scores are tied. Match to be decided in a super over. 

3 needed off the last ball 

Another twist. Udana mishits and Ahmad attemtps a single and is well short of his crease when he's sent back. Colombo need 5 off 2. 

Udana scores another six!

Asela Gunaratne to bowl. Two off the first ball and then six for Udana. 12 needed off 4. 

20 needed off the last over
Colombo 200/6 after 19 overs
Isuru Udana 16(6), Qais Ahmad 15(8)

Qais Ahmad scores three boundaries off the first four balls to bring Colombo back into this game.
Colombo 198/6. 22 needed off 9 balls

Isuru Udana scores back to back sixes off young Kavishka Anjula's bowling. 17 runs off the 18th over. 

Colombo 185/6
29 runs required off 12 balls

An excellent over from the experienced Nuwan Pradeep. Concedes 3 runs and takes two wickets. In the 17th over of the innings. 

Colombo 168/6 in 17 overs
Need 52 off 18 balls 

Big wicket for Kandy. Andre Russell caught at long on
Andre Russell c sub b Pradeep 24(10)

A wild swing from Russell and it is skied to the long on boundary where Priyamal Perera steadies himself and takes a good catch. A crucial wicket which will swing the game in Kandy's favour. It's the Tuskers game to lose. 

Priyanjan caught in the deep
Ashan Priyanjan c sub b Pradeep 8(7)

Strategic timeout
Colombo 165/4 in 16 overs (Target 220)
55 runs required off 24 balls
Andre Russell 24(10), Ashan Priyanjan 6(5)

Naveen-ul-Haq pushes the ball wide of the offstump to Russell and Priyanjan. It works to some effect conceding 5 off the first 4 balls, but Russell scores 10, including his first six, off the last two to take Colombo to 165/4. 

Kandy review
Priyanjan slashes at one outside offstump. Kandy review for caught behind. 

Slips under the bottom of the bat, and doesn't appear to have hit on the way through. The spikes on the snickometer is from the ball hitting the ground. End of the the 15th over, Colombo 150/4. Need 70 off 30 balls.  

Six overs left. Kings need 82 to win.

Mathews gone!
Angelo Mathews b Prasanna 2(5b)

Mathews attempts to pull Prasanna and completely misses. He's out for 2. Kings need 86 off 38 balls

Hat-trick ball fended away

Back to back wickets for Naveen-ul-Haq
Both set batsmen dismissed
Colombo Kings 131/3

Thikshila de Silva c Gurbaz n ul-Haq 22(16)

Outside edge flies towards shiort third man, where Gurbaz jumps to his left and takes the catch. Ul-Haq on a hat-trick. 

Chandimal caught at third man
Dinesh Chandimal c Pradeep b ul-Haq 80(46)

Chandimal attemps a ramp shot and is caught by Nuwan Pradeep at third man. An excellent innings but will it be enough? 

Andre Russel the new batsman, but Thikshila de Silva on strike after crossing. 

A six from Thikshila de Silva to end the 12th over. Colombo 129/1 

91 runs needed from 48 balls. 

Dinesh Chandimal 79(44), Thikshila de Silva 21(14)

50 run partnership
Chandimal's second six of the innings brings the second 50-run partnership of the innings. Colombo Kings 117/1 after 10.5 overs

After 10 overs
Colombo Kings 111/1 (Target 220)
Dinesh Chandimal 66(36), Thikshila de Silva 12(10)

Colombo Kings close the gap on the Tuskers at the end of the 10th over. The Tuskers were 109/1 at the same stage. 

Strategic time out
Colombo Kings 95/1 in 9 overs (Target 220)
Dinesh Chandimal 60(33), Thikshila de Silva 6(7)

50 for Chandimal
Colombo Kings 84/1 after 7.4 overs

Chandimal reaches his half-century in 28 balls. Drills it a little square of the long on boundary. He's looked really good in this innings, but Colombo are not even half way through the chase so he needs to hang in there. 

End of the Powerplay Colombo Kings 65/1 (Target 220)
Dinesh Chandimal 36(21) Thikshila de Silva 0(1)

They are slightly behind the Tuskers at this stage of the innings, but Dinesh Chandimal is proving to be a solid opener for the Kings who have some big hitters in their batting line up. 

Laurie Evans c sub b Gunaratne 22(16)
Colombo Kings 64/1 in 5/1 overs (Target 220)

Six and out! Laurie Evans clears the long on boundary but then pulls a long hop straight to substitute fielder Priyamal Perera in the deep midwicket boundary. 

Colombo Kings 50/0 after 4 overs
Dinesh Chandimal 31(15) Laurie Evans 14(9)

Dinesh Chandimal slams three consecutive fours after clearing the straight boundary for his first six. Pathan walks off after five balls after seemingly pulling his hamstring. Kusal Mendis completes the over. 

An eventful second over for the Tuskers. Irfan Pathan, who hasn't played competitive cricket in more than a year draws a top edge from Dinesh Chandimal but it's dropped by Naveen-ul-Haq at the long on boundary. 

Colombo King's about to begin their chase. 

Laurie Evans and Dinesh Chandimal open the batting, Nuwan Pradeep to bowl. 

20 overs bowled, Kandy Tuskers 219/3

An excellent score for the Kandy Tuskers in this opening match of the Lanka Premier League. Kusal Janith Perera was sublime with his 87, but he had good company at the top of the innings, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz scoring 53 off 22 balls putting on 75 runs for the opening wicket. Kusal Mendis chipped in with 30 while Asela Gunaratne contributed an unbeaten 33 off 20 deliveries. 

Kusal Janith Perera c Priyanjan b Chameera 87(52b)

Kusal Perera falls for 87. A top edge and a great catch from Priyanjan on the deep square boundary line. 

18 overs Kandy Tuskers 194/2
Kusal Janith Perera 83(48) Asela Gunaratne 18914)

Two overs left in the innings and Kusal Perera is playing a gem of an innings. Udana has been good, but concedes 14 off his last over as Perera upped the scoring. 

15 overs and a strategic timeout - Kandy Tuskers 149/2
Kusal Janith Perera 51(36) Asela Gunaratne 7(8) 

Kusal Perera reaches his half century with a single. The scoring has slowed a bit but the Tuskers have eight wickets in hand to up the ante in the last five overs. Isuru Udana has been the pick of the bowlers for the Kings, giving up just 19 runs in his 3 overs. 

Mendis c Chandimal b Gony 30(24)
Kandy Tuskers 134/2 after 12.5 overs

50 and out

​Rahmanulla Gurbaz c Evans b Ahmad 53 (22b)

Rahmanullah Gurbaz reaches a half-century off just 21 balls, getting htere with back to back sixes off Afghan teammate Qais Ahmad, but the right arm spinner has his revenge. He tries to go for a third consecutive six but skies a top edge to Laurie Evans. He's scored four sixes and six fours in that innings. It's set the Tuskers up really well in these powerplay overs.   

After 3.0 Overs Kandy Tuskers 30/0
​Rahmanullah Gurbaz​ 23(12), Kusal Janith Perera 7(4)

Rahmanullah Gurbaz has taken the lead for the Tuskers, an achievement considering his partner is Kusal Janith Perera, and has raced to 23 off 12 balls. He took 19 runs off the third over bowled by Angelo Mathews.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Kusal Janith Perera to open the batting for the Tuskers. Angelo Mathews to open the bowling.

The teams:

Kandy Tuskers: Kusal Janith Perera (c), Kusal Mendis, Irfan Pathan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Nuwan Pradeep, Seekkuge Prasanna, Asela Gunaratne, Naveen-ul-Haq, Kamindu Mendis, Lasith Embuldeniya and Kavishka Anjula

Colombo Kings: Angelo Mathews (c), Laurie Evans, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Andre Russell, Thikshila De Silva, Isuru Udana, Qais Ahmad, Dushmantha Chameera, Manpreet Gony and Amila Aponso 

Colombo Kings won the toss and opted to field first.  

The Kings play four overseas players in Andre Russell, Laurie Evans, Qais Ahmad and Manpreet Gony. The Tuskers are playing all three of their available foreign players -- Irfan Pathan, Naveen-ul-Haq and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

30 minutes to the start of the first match of the LPL. These are the squads for both teams.

Kandy Tuskers: Kusal Janith Perera (c), Brendan Taylor, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, Sohail Tanvir, Kusal Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Seekuge Prasanna, Asela Gunaratne, Naveen Ul Haq, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Kamindu Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Priyamal Perera, Kavishka Anjula, Lasith Embuldeniya, Kevin Kottigoda, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Samarakoon, Nishan Madushka, Chamikara Edirisinghe, Ishan Jayaratne, Dale Steyn

Colombo Kings: Angelo Mathews (c), Manpreet Singh Gony, Andre Russell, Laurie Evans, Daniel Bell Drummond, Isuru Udana, Dinesh Chandimal, Amila Aponso, Ashan Priyanjana, Ravinderpal Singh, Qais Ahmad, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Thikshila De Silva, Tharindu Kaushal, Lahiru Udara, Karim Khan Sadeq, Dhammika Prasad, Himesh Ramanayake, Kalana Perera, Tharindu Ratnayake, Navod Paranavithana

The opening ceremony of the LPL is set to begin at 6:50 p.m.

The Lanka Premier League (LPL) begins today with an opening ceremony followed by the first match of the tournament between Colombo Kings and Kandy Tuskers. You can read our preview for the match here.