GG vs DS

Thank you for joining me, Mohul Bhowmick and my partners Pratyush Rohra and Sooryanarayanan Sesha, for this exciting game in the Lanka Premier League. Until next time, goodbye!

Sikandar Raza, captain of Dambulla Aura: Even though we won the game it feels like a loss. But now that it has settled in, I think that this has been an exceptional performance from the team. I did not have a very good tournament with the bat but I will take a lot of learnings and use it to improve my game and implement it wherever in the world I go next. Hopefully, I can come back here with more runs next time.

Kusal Mendis, captain of Galle Gladiators: It was a good game, and though we did not win today, I am pleased that we have qualified for the knockouts. Things have gone well for us, but I think if the batters in the middle order start contributing as well, we can get better. We are confident against Colombo (whom we are facing in the knockouts), so let's see!

Matthew Forde is Player of the Match: After the fall of the first wicket, I did not even have my shoes on, but coach Arthur told me to pad up and that I was going in. Obviously we haven't had the results that we wanted, but I thank all the boys and the rest of the staff for the amazing experience that I have had here in the Lanka Premier League.

Dambulla Aura beat Galle Gladiators by four wickets!

Nuwanidu Fernando 63 (42) | Imad Wasim 2/32
Matthew Forde 52 (30) and 4/11 

Dambulla did almost everything right to win this game but unfortunately, they could not chase this total of 130 within 11.1 overs which would have guaranteed them a place in the knockouts. However, they showed a lot of intent in this game, and there will be a lot of positives for their players and coach Mickey Arthur to take. 

Stand-in skipper Sikandar Raza might be held responsible for them not making to the knockouts as he took the controversial decision of bowling himself in the last over of Galle’s innings, in which he was carted for 25 runs by Nuwanidu Fernando. If that over had been a little more reticent, Dambulla might still have had the chance of qualifying for the knockouts. However, hindsight is a wonderful thing and cricket is not played in ifs and buts. 

The star of this game was undoubtedly the man from Barbados, Matthew Forde, who picked up four wickets with the ball and struck an eventful half-century with the bat. Dambulla will be proud of this performance but unhappy that they came so close to qualifying for the knockouts. Congratulations to Galle, who made it to the top four and deserve every bit of this acclaim!

14.2 Imad Wasim to Lahiru Madushanka, SIX! Madushanka seals the win! Floated in the slot outside off, Madushanka clears his front leg to pummel it back over the bowler's head for a maximum. Dambulla Aura win by 4 wickets but it doesn't count for much as they are knocked out of the tournament

14.1 Imad Wasim to Sachitha Jayathilake, on the good length at the off-stump line. Spits off the deck to turn away, deflecting off the pads for a single behind point

13.6 Nipun Malinga to Sachitha Jayathilake, searching for the in-tailing yorker on this occasion. Jayathilake jams it out into the leg-side for one

13.5 Nipun Malinga to Lahiru Madushanka, back of a length on the off-stump line. Madushanka nudges it through mid-wicket for a single in the deep

13.4 Nipun Malinga to Sachitha Jayathilake, short of a length slower one outside off. Jayathilake pulls it towards deep mid-wicket to pick up a single

Nipun Malinga, right arm fast medium, will bowl the 14th over.

Just eight runs needed now. Dambulla can do it with ease. Galle are showing no hurry in defending this total either. They know that they have qualified for the knockouts and are taking things easy.

12.5 Imad Wasim to Chamindu Wickramasinghe, OUT! ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST! It was a genuine drag down from Imad but he's got a wicket to show for it in the end. Wickramasinghe rocks back to loft this down the ground, right down the throat of the fielder at long-on. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter much.

Chamindu Wickramasinghe c Nuwan Thushara b Imad Wasim 2 (5b 0x4 0x6)