Shadab Khan Stars as Galle Marvels Defeat Colombo Strikers in LPL 2024 Thriller
Galle Marvels, while defending 179, removed opening batter Shevon Daniel (7) in the third over. Muhammad Waseem joined Rahmanullah Gurbaz and scored 16 off 9 before falling Maheesh Theekshana.
Meanwhile, Gurbaz, who scored a 17-ball 29, was castled by Zahoor Khan on the last ball of the powerplay with 57 runs on the board.
Glenn Phillips (26) then added 24 and 25 runs with Sadeera Samarawickrama (16) and Thisara Perera (18) respectively to keep his side in the hunt.
However, Galle Marvels’ bowler kept picking wickets at regular intervals to keep things under control.
Dunith Wellalage came out to bat with 63 required off 33 and he struck two boundaries off his first two balls off Sahan Arachchige.
He waged a lone war and played a quick 45-run knock from 26 balls with the help of five boundaries and two sixes before falling on the final ball of the innings, thus losing by seven runs.
Udana bowled the final over, defending 11 runs and returning with bowling figures of 2-34. Meanwhile, Arachchige and Theekshana also claimed two wickets each.
Earlier, Niroshan Dickwella gave Galle Marvels a flying start with a one-sided opening partnership of 71 runs with Alex Hales (14).
However, they soon slipped to 77-3 as Binura Fernando removed Hales, while Dickwella fell prey to Shadab Khan after scoring an 18-ball 50 with six boundaries and three sixes.
Shadab Khan dismissed Janith Liyanage (2) and Tim Seifert (12) in his next over to reduce Galle Marvels to 86-5.
Arachchige and Udana joined hands after another wicket to construct a 79-run stand for the seventh wicket.
They pushed the team’s total to 173 before Matheesha Pathirana sent Arachchige back after he had scored 35 off 27.
Udana top-scored with 52 runs from 34 balls with five boundaries and three sixes. Fernando picked the wicket of Udana, followed by a run-out and Zahoor Khan’s wicket to bundle the Marvels at 179 in 20 overs.
Shadab Khan topped the wicket-takers chart with four wickets, while Fernando claimed three.
Galle Marvels solidified their position at the top of the LPL 2024 points table with two victories in as many games, while Colombo Strikers are sitting in the second position.
