Cricket

'Starting with a dazzling win as always' - Fans react as defending champions Jaffna Kings start their LPL 2023 campaign with win against Colombo Strikers

Jaffna Kings defeated Colombo Strikers in the inaugural match of the Lanka Premier League 2023 by a margin of 21 runs to start with a win.

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Daniel S
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Lanka Premier League 2023

Jaffna Kings and Colombo Strikers locked horns in the first match of the fourth season of the Lanka Premier League at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The hosts’ skipper Niroshan Dickwella won the toss and asked the Kings to bat first. The defending champions posted a total of 173 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Later, they managed to defend this target and won the match by a margin of 21 runs to start their LPL 2023 campaign with a win. Debutant batter Towhid Hridoy scored a half-century and contributed with 54 runs off 39 balls, including four boundaries and a six. Apart from him, Dunith Wellalage and Priyamal Perera also scored 25 and 22 runs, respectively. Naseem Shah, Matheesha Pathirana, Chamika Karunaratne, and Lakshan Sandakan scalped one wicket each for the Strikers in the first innings.

Jaffna Kings' bowlers outmuscle Colombo's batting attack

The Jaffna Kings' bowling attack successfully defended the target and restricted the hosts to a meagre score of 152 runs. Pakistan skipper and star batter, Babar Azam also failed to live up to the expectation as he could score only seven runs off eight balls with just one boundary.

Although skipper Niroshan Dickwella played a well-fought knock of 58 runs off 34 balls with nine boundaries and six bu, his knock went in vain. Colombo couldn’t cross the line and lost the first match of their campaign in the Lanka Premier League 2023.

Hardus Vijoen scalped three wickets, alongside two each claimed by Dilshan Madushanka and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth. Apart from these two, the former Sri Lankan star Thisara Perera also picked one big wicket of Babar Azam in the fourth over of the second innings. Vijayakanth Viyaskanth won the ‘Player of the Match award for his match-defining performance of two wickets at the cost of 17 runs and two catches in fielding.

The fans were also elated following the Jaffna Kings’ win in the first match of the tournament against the Colombo Strikers.

Here’s how fans reacted:

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