Lanka Premier League Eliminator Mendis, Shanaka steer Kandy Falcons to thrilling win

 Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana

By M. Shamil Amit

Kamindu Mendis and the experienced Dasun Shanaka dashed the hopes of Colombo Strikers of gaining their third successive win as the pair steered defending champions Kandy Falcons from a position of nowhere to pull off a thrilling two wicket win in the crucial Eliminator encounter of the fifth Lanka Premier League played at under floodlights at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Colombo Strikers in fact had come out winners in both the round robin matches that the two teams played at the initial stages of the tournament at the Pallekele Stadium.

Kandy Falcons in their run chase of 160 runs were in dire straits with the score on 83 for 6 in the 11th over before Mendis and Shanaka brought them closer to the target and with the score on 152 for 6 they underwent a setback when Shanaka fell victim to Binura Fernando having made 39 off 21 balls with four boundaries and two sixes and putting on a valuable seventh wicket stand of stand 67 runs with Mendis.

Mendis followed without any addition at the same score having cracked 54 in 39 balls which had three boundaries and three sixes. That was all the success for the Colombo Strikers as a boundary by Ramesh Mendis off Wellalage’s delivery sealed the thrilling win for Kandy Falcons.

Defending champions Kandy Falcons will now meet three times champions Jaffna Kings in the Qualifier 2 on July 20 to battle it out for the second final slot.

Result:
At R. Premadasa Stadium – Kandy Falcons won by two wickets

Colombo Strikers 159 for 8 in 20 overs (S. Samarawickrama 62, R. Gurbaz 30, D. Wellalage 28: M. Hasnain 3/24, W. Hasaranga 2/21)

Kandy Falcons 163 for 8 in 18.4 overs (K. Mendis 54, D. Shanaka 39, A. Fletcher 20: B. Fernando 3/35, M. Pathirana 3/38)