Towhid Hridoy and Shakib Al Hasan both played key roles as Jaffna Kings registered a commanding 93 run win over Kandy Royals in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) on Sunday, while fellow Bangladeshi Nurul Hasan Sohan made an eye catching start to his own campaign for Galle Gladiators.
Jaffna posted 199 for four before restricting Kandy to 106, a result built on an ideal platform at the top of the order. Kamindu Mendis and Avishka Fernando put on 129 for the first wicket, Mendis striking 78 from 53 balls with six fours and four sixes, while Fernando made 66 from 36 deliveries including 10 fours and two sixes. Hridoy, making his first appearance of this year’s tournament, came in at number three and started cautiously, reaching 14 from his opening 14 balls before accelerating late on. He struck boundaries in the 19th and final overs before finishing the innings in style, launching the last ball of the innings over deep midwicket for six to remain unbeaten on 35 from 21 deliveries.
Kandy’s chase never gathered any momentum. Shakib, playing his fourth match of the season, bowled two tight overs in the powerplay for just eight runs, with his opening over costing only three before Lahiru Udara took a boundary off the last ball of his second. Mohammad Siraj struck early, removing Kusal Perera in the first over and Dale Phillips in the third, and finished with figures of three for 18. Left arm spinner Dunith Wellalage also picked up three wickets for 21. Shakib returned in the 13th over to dismiss Moeen Ali, caught by David Wiese at long off after an attacking shot, an over that cost 10 runs and proved to be his last of the innings. He did not need to bat as Jaffna cruised to their third win in five matches. Udara top scored for Kandy with 54 from 41 balls, with Shahin Shah Afridi the only other batter to pass 20, making 22 from 19 deliveries. Shakib has now taken five wickets in four matches this season at an economy rate of 6.33.
Elsewhere, Sohan made an explosive introduction to overseas franchise cricket, though he was unable to turn it into a substantial score. Opening the batting for Galle Gladiators against Dambulla Sixers, the 32 year old smashed 29 from just 13 balls, hitting five fours and a six in his first appearance in an overseas league. Sohan had been signed by Galle as a replacement for Litton Das, who is missing the tournament through injury, and was promoted to open after Mehidy Hasan Miraz managed just five runs in that role in Galle’s previous match and lost his place in the side.
After Dambulla chose to field first, Sohan opened his account with a single before taking apart Gulbadin Naib in the second over, striking four boundaries including a hook shot, a scoop and a crisp drive through point, one of which came off a no ball. He added two singles in the third over before launching Dushmantha Chameera for a six and a four in the next, only to fall attempting to clear mid on off the very next delivery, ending an entertaining but short lived cameo.
